Héctor Zelaya

Héctor Ramón Zelaya Rivera (born 12 August 1958) is a retired Honduran football player.

Héctor Zelaya
Personal information
Full name Héctor Ramón Zelaya Rivera
Date of birth (1958-08-12) 12 August 1958
Place of birth Trinidad, Honduras
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976–1982 Motagua
1982–1983 Deportivo La Coruña
1983 Motagua
National team
Honduras U-20
1980–1982 Honduras
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Zelaya and the second or maternal family name is Rivera.

Club career

Nicknamed Pecho de Águila (Eagle chest), he started as a forward but later played in defense or midfield for F.C. Motagua. He made his professional debut in the Honduran Liga Nacional on 7 March 1976 wearing the Motagua jersey in the 1–0 win against Campamento.[1]

Not to be confused with former Motagua teammate Héctor "Lin" Zelaya, Zelaya also played for Spanish Segunda División side Deportivo de La Coruña but an injury to his left knee prevented him from making an impact and he had to retire in 1983.[2] He played his final game for Motagua against Universidad, aged only 24.

International career

Zelaya played three games for the Honduras U-20's at the 1977 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Tunisia.[3]

He then played in 7 World Cup qualifying matches in 1980 and 1981,[4] taking Honduras to their first ever World Cup. He made history by scoring his country's first ever goal at a World Cup Finals Tournament, when he scored against hosts Spain at the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He put Honduras 1–0 up in Valencia after which Spain ended up scoring the equalizer.

Retirement

After his playing career came to a premature end, he worked 25 years in the coffee business[5] of his wife's family. Also, he has been working for a children's football programme in Honduras called Fútbol para la vida.

Personal life

Zelaya is married to journalist Marlen Perdomo and they have 4 children: Héctor, Iving, Alejandra and Marlen.[6]

Honours and awards

Club
C.D. Motagua

References
  1. LaTribuna.hn – La Cobra Pregunta – "Pecho de Águila" Archived 11 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine – 25 May 2010
  2. España 82 nos dio más fichajes - Diez (in Spanish)
  3. Héctor Zelaya – FIFA competition record
  4. Héctor Zelaya – FIFA competition record
  5. La conexión gallega de Honduras - El Pais (in Spanish)
  6. “Pecho de Águila” (interview) Archived 24 June 2013 at Archive.today - La Tribuna (in Spanish)
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