Are you retiring from ‘H’? The truth behind David Ruiz’s absence from the Honduras national team

Uncertainty returns as a conundrum for the Honduras national team, and again for the United States, as happened with Fabian Coito before a Gold Cup with Danny Acosta and more recently with Kirol Figueroa in the sub-17s.

Now it’s back to 19-year-old midfielder David Ruiz, who seems happy with an ‘H’ on his chest, but suddenly his decision and even his love have taken a 180-degree turn. He was even on the Pan American Games roster for Honduras, though his opinion may change again. He is between a rock and a hard place.

David Ruiz was supposed to report to the bicolor team’s concentration camp in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, October 8 at 3:28 p.m. However, he did not arrive on Dominican soil on time. Many said he had missed his flight.

Honduras officials waited until Sunday night for him to show up, and he didn’t show up on Monday either. DIEZ has learned that the player is expected until this Tuesday afternoon. He had to fly after the game Inter Miami lost 0-1 against Cincinnati And where they left the playoffs.

But everything has an explanation and that is America. The Stars and Stripes have not had good episodes with Honduras in the past, where ‘H’ has taken players like Ramon Nunez, Roger Espinosa or Andy Najar, and now they are pushing as hard as they can to keep everyone with them.

It happened last month with David Ruiz, who had previously been called up to the Under-17 and Under-20 camps. DIEZ learned that two scouts from the United States Soccer Federation attended the Herons’ last scrimmage in MLS. At the game and spoke to the young footballer.

Both elements were accurately conveyed by Greg Berhalter, the current coach of the United States national team. The coach’s message was blunt and clear: “Berhalder wants you in his plan for the 2026 World Cup.” That overshadowed David Ruiz and changed his decision to play with Honduras for now.

Can he still play for America?

In 2020, FIFA approved changes to its regulations on footballers’ eligibility rules, allowing players who have played a maximum of three times for the first team before turning 21, including qualifiers, to transfer.

The last participation with the first team must have been three years ago and does not allow transfer of those who have represented their country in tournaments such as the World Cup.

And we need to do a retrospective. The rule was changed due to pressure exerted by Morocco with former FC Barcelona player Munir El Haddadi, who made his debut with Spain at a very young age, but was not invited back, he requested a change of federation and after arguing his request, it was the revised article.

Therefore, this rule now states that a footballer can play for the second team if he has not played three matches for the senior team by the age of 21, including qualifiers. David Ruiz has scored just one goal on his debut against Granada. Against Cuba, Honduras managed to equalize if they played both games.

Reynaldo Ruda found out about the situation until Monday morning, that is, before flying to Panama, before going to the Dominican Republic after their stop, where Honduras will play the third day of the Nations League at 6:00 on Thursday against Cuba. Afternoon. The editor moved forward, and he didn’t speak to sports reporters before boarding the plane.