Squad No: 18
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 33
Birth Date: May 3, 1977
Birth Place: Comayagua, Honduras
Height: 5' 10" (1.79m)
Weight: 176 lbs (80 kg)
Club: Olimpia Tegucigalpa (HON)
International Caps: 72
Club History
Olimpia Tegucigalpa (HON): 2004-
Motagua (HON): 1996-2004
from Wikipedia (full wiki)
Noel Eduardo Valladares Bonilla is a Honduran football goalkeeper, who currently plays for Club Deportivo Olimpia. He was born in Comayagua.
He was a member of the national squad at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Prior to that experience he played as goalkeeper and forward for Honduras at the 1999 PanAmerican games in Winnipeg. He played as a striker for several seasons at Motagua.
He is very important to the Honduran national squad. He has made 70 appearances for the team and will participate in the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.
from ESPN SoccerNet
Honduras' last line of defence since 2000, he was the cornerstone of their qualification for South Africa as he played every minute of their 18 games and looked particularly effective in the final round-robin series when he turned in some solid displays.
Many goalkeepers like to think of themselves as capable outfield players and in the case of Valladares, he is no mean performer with the ball at his feet. Indeed, he actually played professionally as a striker for many years at his former club Motagua.
He filled the role between the posts for the Honduran Olympic side at the Sydney Games in 2000 and while some local detractors claim he lacks consistency, that a rather harsh judgement.
from FIFA.com
The fact that Honduras boasted the best defensive record of the six teams contesting the final qualification phase in the CONCACAF Zone had much to do with the form of their first-choice keeper Noel Valladares. Presenting a formidable last line of defence, the seasoned Catracho custodian brought his powers of anticipation and concentration to bear during their successful campaign, proving a reassuring presence for the Honduran rearguard.
Just like his goalkeeping role model, the flamboyant former Mexico gloveman Jorge Campos, Valladares owes his skill with the ball at his feet to his early days as a striker. And although not always the No1 for his club side Olimpia, where he shares goalkeeping duties with Donis Escober, there is no dispute about his status as Honduras’ leading man between the pipes.
A veteran of three FIFA World Cup™ qualifying competitions (Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010), the 33-year-old former Motagua keeper has more than 70 international caps to his name and also appeared at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Sydney 2000.
That breadth of experience will prove invaluable in South Africa, where his commanding presence between the posts will give Reinaldo Rueda’s side a solid foundation on which to build.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment