Roger Espinoza

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This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Espinoza and the second or maternal family name is Ramírez.
Roger Espinoza

Espinoza playing for Sporting Kansas City in 2012
Personal information
Full nameRoger Aníbal Espinoza Ramírez
Date of birth (1986-10-25) 25 October 1986
Place of birthPuerto Cortés, Honduras
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing positionDefensive Midfielder / Wing Back
Club information
Current clubWigan Athletic
Number18
Youth career
2005–2006Yavapai Roughriders
2007Ohio State Buckeyes
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2006Arizona Sahuaros7(1)
2008–2012Sporting Kansas City113(2)
2013–Wigan Athletic18(1)
National team‡
2012Honduras Olympic4(1)
2009–Honduras34(3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 May 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 April 2013

Roger Aníbal Espinoza Ramírez (born 25 October 1986) is a Honduran and Venezuelan footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or wing back for Wigan Athletic.

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.[1] 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.[2]

Kansas City Wizards/Sporting Kansas City

Espinoza was drafted 11th overall in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft by Kansas City Wizards. He made his MLS debut on 9 April 2008 against the New England Revolution. He scored his first professional goal on July 17,2008 against Columbus Crew.

It was announced on 18 November 2010 that Espinoza would graduate from the MLS Generation Adidas program at the end of the 2010 season.[3]

Wigan Athletic

On 26 November 2012 it was made public that Espinoza intended to join Wigan Athletic of the English Premier League on a free transfer in January 2013.[4] On 18 December 2012 it was made official that Espinoza is part of Wigan Athletic after being granted a UK work permit.[5] He has been assigned number 18. On 4 January 2013, it was announced that Espinoza transfer from Kansas City was officially completed, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal.[6]

Espinoza made his Wigan Athletic debut on 19 January 2013 when he came on as a half-time substitute during a 2–3 loss against Sunderland.[7]

He scored his first goal for the club against Swansea City on 7 May.[8] In that match he was only drafted into the team due to an injury to Wigan's regular left back Jean Beausejour. On 11 May 2013 Espinoza won the FA Cup with Wigan, playing the whole game in an 1–0 upset win against Manchester City.[9] However, only 3 days later, Wigan were relegated from the Premier League following a 4–1 defeat against Arsenal.[10] He scored his second goal for the club against MK Dons in the FA Cup on 4 January 2014.[11]

International career

Roger Espinoza was called up to the Honduran 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.[12]

As of January 2013, he has represented his country in 2 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[13] and at the 2009[14] and 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cups.[15]

International goals

Scores and results list Honduras's goal tally first.
No Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 1 February 2009 Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Tegucigalpa, Honduras  El Salvador 1–0 1–0 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup
2. 11 July 2009 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States  Grenada 2–0 4–0 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
3. 23 January 2010 Stubhub Center, Carson, United States  United States 3–0 3–1 Friendly

Career statistics

International

As of match played 19 June 2013.[16]
National team Year Apps Goals
Honduras 2009 8 2
2010 8 1
2011 7 0
2012 3 0
2013 7 0
Total 33 3

Personal life

Espinoza became a United States citizen in March 2008.[17]

Honours

Sporting Kansas City

  • Lamar Hunt US Open Cup: 2012

Wigan Athletic

References

  1. ↑ Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletic Site - Men's Soccer
  2. ↑ Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletic Site - Men's Soccer
  3. ↑ Generation adidas players to graduate at season's end
  4. ↑ Espinoza plans to transfer to Wigan
  5. ↑ Roger Espinoza latest Honduran to join Wigan ranks – Premier League
  6. ↑ "ESPINOZA DEAL COMPLETE". Wigan Athletic Official Website. 4 January 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2013. 
  7. ↑ BBC Sport - Wigan 2-3 Sunderland
  8. ↑ "Wigan 2 - 3 Swansea". BBC. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2014. 
  9. ↑ "Man City 0 – 1 Wigan". BBC. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013. 
  10. ↑ "Arsenal 4 – 1 Wigan". BBC. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013. 
  11. ↑ "Wigan 3-3 MK Dons". BBC. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014. 
  12. ↑ Espinoza represents Honduras against Brazil
  13. ↑ Roger Espinoza – FIFA competition record
  14. ↑ CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2009 – Full Details – RSSSF
  15. ↑ CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2011 – Full Details – RSSSF
  16. ↑ "Roger Espinoza". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2013. 
  17. ↑ Espinoza makes Honduras' 23-man roster – ESPN

External links

Wigan Athletic F.C. – current squad
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