Roger Espinoza

Roger Aníbal Espinoza Ramírez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈroʝeɾ espiˈnosa]; born 25 October 1986) is a Honduran footballer who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer. Capable of playing both as a defensive midfielder and as a wing back, Espinoza has represented Honduras at two World Cups and the 2012 Summer Olympics.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Espinoza and the second or maternal family name is Ramírez.
Roger Espinoza
Espinoza playing for Sporting Kansas City in 2018
Personal information
Full name Roger Aníbal Espinoza Ramírez[1]
Date of birth (1986-10-25) 25 October 1986
Place of birth Puerto Cortés, Honduras
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder, wing back
Club information
Current team
 Sporting Kansas City
Number 15
Youth career
2005–2006 Yavapai Roughriders
2007 Ohio State Buckeyes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006 Arizona Sahuaros 7 (1)
2008–2012 Sporting Kansas City 113 (2)
2013–2014 Wigan Athletic 43 (2)
2015– Sporting Kansas City 141 (8)
2019 → Swope Park Rangers (loan) 1 (0)
National team‡
2012 Honduras Olympic 4 (1)
2009–2019 Honduras 52 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 November 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 March 2018

Club career

Youth and College

Born in Puerto Cortés, Espinoza moved from his native Honduras to Denver, Colorado when he was 12 years old. He attended Denver South High School before transferring to Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado.

He played two years of college soccer at Yavapai College, spending one season with the Arizona Sahuaros of the National Premier Soccer League in 2006. In 2007, he transferred to Ohio State for his junior season. That season, Ohio State advanced to the national championship game of the College Cup. Espinoza scored in the 12th minute, but Ohio State lost to Wake Forest, 2–1.[2] In his one season at Ohio State, Espinoza was named first-team All-Big Ten, second-team all-region, and earned a spot the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team.[3]

Sporting Kansas City

Espinoza opted to forgo his senior year of college and signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer.[4] He was selected with the 11th overall pick of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft by the Kansas City Wizards (now known as Sporting Kansas City). In his first season at the club, he appeared in 22 games and tied for third on the team in assists with 3. Playing as both a leftback and defensive midfielder, he appeared in 113 regular season matches over five years with the club and helped Sporting to victory in the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Wigan Athletic

Following the 2012 MLS season, Espinoza signed with Wigan Athletic of the English Premier League on a free transfer.[5] He was assigned number 18.

Espinoza made his Wigan Athletic debut on 19 January when he came on as a half-time substitute during a 2–3 loss against Sunderland.[6] He scored his first goal for the club against Swansea City on 7 May.[7] On 11 May 2013, Espinoza won the FA Cup with Wigan, playing the whole game in a 1–0 upset win against Manchester City.[8] However, only three days later, Wigan were relegated from the Premier League following a 4–1 defeat against Arsenal.[9] He scored his second goal for the club against MK Dons in the FA Cup on 4 January 2014.[10] Espinoza scored his second league goal and provided an assist for teammate Shaun Maloney against Fulham on 1 November 2014 at the DW Stadium in a 3–3 draw.

However, Espinoza's minutes dwindled in the 2014–15 season, and he and Wigan agreed to part ways in December 2014.

Return to Kansas City

Espinoza returned to Sporting Kansas City ahead of the 2015 season. In his second start since returning to Sporting, Espinoza scored an equalizing goal against FC Dallas on 14 March 2015. Espinoza saw his first season back in Kansas City curtailed through injury though the side still won the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Espinoza played a key role as Sporting KC repeated the feat two years later, lifting the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup by beating the New York Red Bulls 2–1 at Children's Mercy Park. In the 2018 MLS season, Espinoza has set a new career-high with nine assists in a single season, having never produced more than five in the past.

International career

Espinoza was called up to the Honduras national football team by Reinaldo Rueda for the UNCAF Nations Cup 2009 held in Honduras for the first time in his career. He made three appearances during the tournament where he wore number 13. He scored his first goal for the national team in a 1–0 win against El Salvador to give Honduras 3rd place in the competition.

Espinoza was called up by Luis Fernando Suárez to represent his country in the 2012 London Olympics; he scored a goal against Brazil in the quarter-final of the tournament, but was sent off in the 90th minute, receiving standing ovation from the Newcastle crowd for his performance.[11]

Espinoza has represented Honduras at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

On 16 August 2019, Espinoza announced his retirement from the Honduras national team.[12]

International goals
Scores and results list Honduras's goal tally first.[13]
N.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.1 February 2009Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Tegucigalpa, Honduras El Salvador1–01–02009 UNCAF Nations Cup
2.11 July 2009Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States Grenada2–04–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
3.23 January 2010StubHub Center, Carson, United States United States3–03–1Friendly
4.1 June 2014BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, United States Israel1–12–4Friendly

Career statistics

Club
As of 31 August 2018.[14]
Club Season League National Cup Playoffs/League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sporting Kansas City 2008 Major League Soccer 22 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 28 1
2009 16 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 17 0
2010 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 0
2011 24 1 2 0 3 0 0 0 29 1
2012 26 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 31 0
Total 113 2 8 0 7 0 2 0 130 2
Wigan Athletic FC 2012–13 English Premier League 12 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 16 1
2013–14 English Championship 19 0 5 1 1 0 5 0 30 1
2014–15 12 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 13 1
Total 43 2 9 1 2 0 5 0 59 3
Sporting Kansas City 2015 Major League Soccer 17 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 20 1
2016 30 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 34 1
2017 30 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 36 1
2018 23 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 26 1
Total 100 4 13 0 2 0 1 0 116 4
Career Total 256 8 30 1 11 0 8 0 305 9

    International
    As of 31 August 2018.[14]
    National teamYearAppsGoals
    Honduras 200982
    201081
    201170
    201230
    2013130
    201461
    2015 1 0
    2016 4 0
    2017 2 0
    Total524

    Personal life

    Espinoza became a United States citizen in March 2008.[15] He is engaged to Kansas City NWSL player Lo'eau LaBonta.[16]

    Honours

    Sporting Kansas City

    Wigan Athletic

    References
    1. "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 19. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
    2. "OhioStateBuckeyes.com :: The Ohio State University Official Athletic Site The Ohio State University Official Athletic Site :: Men's Soccer".
    3. "OhioStateBuckeyes.com :: The Ohio State University Official Athletic Site The Ohio State University Official Athletic Site :: Men's Soccer".
    4. "OhioStateBuckeyes.com :: The Ohio State University Official Athletic Site The Ohio State University Official Athletic Site :: Men's Soccer".
    5. Espinoza plans to transfer to Wigan
    6. "Wigan 2–3 Sunderland". BBC Sport.
    7. "Wigan 2 – 3 Swansea". BBC. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
    8. "Man City 0 – 1 Wigan". BBC. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
    9. "Arsenal 4 – 1 Wigan". BBC. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
    10. "Wigan 3–3 MK Dons". BBC. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
    11. "Olympics: Espinoza stars, but Honduras fall to Brazil in QF". MLSsoccer.com.
    12. "Inesperado: Roger Espinoza anuncia su retiro de la Selección de Honduras". Diez - Diario Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 August 2019.
    13. Roger Espinoza at Soccerway
    14. "Roger Espinoza". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
    15. Espinoza makes Honduras' 23-man roster – ESPN
    16. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJl9IgyJFkU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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