BBC Sport - Football - World Cup 2010: Palacios brothers to create history (original) (raw)

Midfielder Wilson Palacios is Honduras' star player

Honduras have become the first country in World Cup history to select three brothers in their squad after calling up Jerry Palacios on Tuesday.

He joins brothers Wilson and Johnny in South Africa after replacing injured Torino star Julio Cesar de Leon.

Striker Jerry, 29, plays for Chinese club Hangzhou Greentown, Johnny, 24, for Olimpia in Honduras and Wilson, 26, for Tottenham Hotspur.

Teams are allowed to replace players up to 24 hours before their opening match.

Honduras, preparing for only their second appearance in a World Cup, play their first match against Chile in Group H on Wednesday.

The Palacios brothers hail from the town of La Ceiba in Honduras.

	Everything I do in football is for Edwin, he is watching over me Jerry Palacios speaking about his murdered brother

Wilson, the best known of the trio, has had injury problems of his own to deal with after straining a leg muscle in the run-up to Wednesday's match but is expected to be fit.

"He is pretty much 100% and right now it seems he will be fine," said Honduras assistant Carlos Velasco.

The triple Palacios call-up will be a boost to the family three years after younger brother Edwin was kidnapped in the politically troubled Central American country.

Although a $150,000 ransom was paid, Edwin's body was discovered in a remote rural area.

"Everything I do in football is for Edwin. He is watching over me," Jerry told Honduran reporters upon his arrival in South Africa.

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