Honduras, Spain and a World Cup. It is a triangle that leads, in the past, to 1982, to the first presence of the Central American country in a World Cup. When they ruined the Spanish premiere with a 1-1 at Mestalla which was the anticipation of disaster. And to the future. Because returning to a World Cup is the goal that Honduran soccer is working towards. And the goal is 2030, again in Spain.
To achieve this, the Honduran Football Federation has been placed in the hands of Francis Hernandez, a Spaniard. Since January of this year, the one who was coordinator of the Spanish youth categories between 2018 and 2024 has been the sports director of Honduras. To his project he has added a Spanish coach who knows what sports management is: José Francisco Molina.
Outside the worldl this year, something that is inherited from before coming to office, Francis speaks with MARCA from Tegucigalpa. On his work table, an exciting, challenging path in which he dedicates himself so that 2030 will be his fourth World Cup appearance after 1982 (18th of 24), 2010 (30th of 32) and 2014 (penultimate).
Q. What objective is the priority of the path you have undertaken?
R. Build something lasting. I signed here to develop a comprehensive project, not to seek immediate results. We want to implement a game model, player profiles by position, a common methodology for all categories, modernize tools, train coaches, create a national and international scouting department, improve nutrition, medical services and the entire federative structure. I believe much more in building a solid path than in obsessing only with the immediate result. If you do the structural work well, the results end up coming.
Q. Why Honduras?
R. I had the opportunity to sign in Costa Rica, but I chose Honduras because here they allowed me to develop a project in my own way. From the first day I was clear with the president: if they were looking for a short-term professional, it was not me. If they wanted to build something with a vision for the future, leave a structure and a legacy, then he was the right candidate.
We want to implement a game model, player profiles by position, a common methodology for all categories…
Q. What wickers do you have?
R. There is a lot of potential in Honduras. It is a football that is quite unknown outside, but there is very interesting raw material. I don’t really like to talk about biotypes, but I think that in Honduras we have players to think that things can turn out well. We also have footballers who play in Europe, the United States and other countries. That makes us optimistic. The objective is to design a path that brings us closer to the 2030 World Cup and that excites a country that lives football with enormous passion.
The objective is to design a path that brings us closer to the 2030 World Cup
Q. In Spain other teams came to recruit players. Now it’s your turn to live the opposite path.
R. Of course, it’s part of my job. I hope you understand. I recently took a tour of Europe explaining the project, showing how we want to work and generating confidence in players, families and clubs. We want footballers with the possibility of representing another country to believe in this project and want to be part of it.
Francis Hernández, with Welson Jiménez, a Spanish-Honduran from Girona who he has convinced to play for Honduras.
Q. Was it clear to you that the senior coach had to be Spanish?
R. Beyond nationality, I was looking for someone with deep knowledge of the federative context. A great club coach is not always a great coach, and vice versa. All the candidates I spoke with shared that experience in national team football. In the case of Molina, furthermore, we had already worked together developing structures and protocols in the Spanish Federation. Added to that was his daily experience in clubs. And I also felt that it was his professional moment. Everything fell into place naturally and that’s why I opted for him.
A great club coach is not always a great coach, and vice versa.
Q. They have chosen a tough party in June…
R. We have a match against Argentina, the world champions. It is a great opportunity to give visibility to our project and measure ourselves to the highest standards. We are also closing a second friendly to complete the FIFA date and prepare well for the official competitions that come later.
Q. Would you like to face Spain?
R. Hopefully. It would be something very special. We are going to work these years to try to get as far as possible and, who knows, maybe cross paths. The important thing is to build the project well and take care of every detail to get closer to the objectives we have set.
