Emilio Izaguirre is one of the finest players Honduras has produced in recent years. The left-back made his league debut at the age of 17 with Club Deportivo Motagua and was one of the outstanding performers in the team that won the 2006/07 Apertura and the 2007 UNCAF Club Championship. On top of that, and despite missing several months with a broken collarbone, this season he was voted the best player in the country by the national media.

At international level Izaguirre has come steadily through the ranks, forming part of the side that qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Netherlands 2005. Although it proved to be a tournament to forget for Honduras, the experience has since come in handy for the youngster, who has gone on to bigger and better things with his country.

Featuring for the U-23 side during their sucessful qualification for the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008, Izaguirre had by that time won his first full cap, which came at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Earning selection on the back of an excellent league season, the full-back cemented his reputation with a fine showing in the memorable 2-1 win over Mexico in the group phase.

Since the arrival of Reinaldo Rueda, the young prospect has held on to his place in the squad and maintained his form for club and country. Although a proposed move to English second-tier side Ipswich Town fell through due to work-permit problems, Izaguirre can expect to attract more suitors from across the Atlantic if he continues to impress at South Africa 2010.