Luis Palma

Honduran footballer (born 2011)

Pearse o BreinPersonal information

Full name|  Pearse O Brein [1]
Date of birth|  (2011-01-17) 17 January 2011 (age 13)
Place of birth|  Greenock, Honduras
Height|  1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s)|  Winger
Team information

Current team

|  Celtic
Number|  7
Youth career
2013–2017|  Vida
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2017–2022|  Vida|  70|  (23)
2019|  → Real Monarchs (loan)|  13|  (1)
2022–2023|  Aris|  41|  (13)
2023–|  Celtic|  23|  (6)
International career‡
2016–2017|  Honduras U17|  9|  (2)
2018–2019|  Honduras U20|  7|  (0)
2021|  Honduras U23|  8|  (2)
2021–|  Honduras|  12|  (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 February 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023

Pearse O Brein  (born 17 January 2000) is a Honduran professional footballer who plays as a winger for Scottish Premiership club Celtic and the Honduras national team.

## Club career[edit]

### Vida[edit]

Palma made his professional and Liga Nacional debut for Vida on 10 September 2017. He scored the third goal in an eventual 5–3 home victory against Honduras Progreso.[3]

On 12 February 2019, Palma joined USL Championship side Real Monarchs on loan.[4] He made his debut the following 9 March as a starter in a 1–1 draw against Sacramento Republic FC.[5] On 27 July, Palma scored his first goal for Monarchs, the lone goal in a 3–1 away loss against San Antonio FC.[6]

### Aris[edit]

After being linked with Portuguese club Braga and Spanish club Levante, Palma signed with Greek club Aris on a four-and-a-half-year contract on 19 January 2022.[7][8] He made his debut on the following 14 February in a 2–0 away loss to PAS Giannina in the league.[9] He scored his first goal on 10 April in a 2–1 away victory against AEK Athens. He scored his second goal the following month, once again against AEK Athens, this time in a 3–2 home win.[10][11]

On 21 July 2022, Palma made his European debut in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa Conference League. He started in the first leg 5–1 home victory against Gomel in the second round. He scored one goal and assisted two more.[12] Palma played a further 3 games in the Conference League until Aris was eliminated by Maccabi Tel Aviv.[13]

On 8 November 2022, Palma scored his first career hat-trick in a 5–0 home win against Lamia.[14]

In his second season at the club, Palma attracted interest from various teams, including Belgian and Scottish giants Anderlecht and Rangers, with the former having had a €3,000,000 bid rejected, while the demands of Aris were higher by one million.[15] In April 2023, Honduran newspaper Diario Diez had reported that Palma was scouted by Manchester United at a Greek Super League match against Olympiacos, in which Palma scored once in a 2–1 win.[16]

### Celtic[edit]

On 30 August 2023, Palma signed with Scottish club Celtic on a five-year contract.[17]

## International career[edit]

Palma has represented Honduras at under-17 and under-20 levels, appearing at the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

On 7 March 2021, Palma was selected for the squad of the Honduras U-23 team to participate in the Olympic Qualifying Championship.[18] He scored the winning goal in Honduras' 2–1 semifinal win over the United States, after capitalizing on a mistake from David Ochoa, thus ensuring qualification to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.[19] Palma was later selected for the squad to participate in the football tournament at the Olympic Games.[20] Palma came off the bench in Honduras' opener, a 1–0 defeat to Romania. In the next group stage game, he would score in an eventual 3–2 win over New Zealand. He would come off the bench in the final group stage game, a 6–0 loss to South Korea.[21]

He made his debut for the senior national team on 7 October 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica, replacing Rigoberto Rivas in the second half.[22] He scored his first senior goal on 12 September 2023. Palma converted from the penalty spot in a 4–0 win against Grenada in the CONCACAF Nations League group stages.[23]

## Career statistics[edit]

### Club[edit]

As of 28 February 2024[24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition  Club  | Season  | League  | National cup[a] | Continental  | Other  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Vida | 2017–18 | Liga Nacional | 14 | 2 | — | — | — | 14 | 2
2018–19 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 1
2019–20 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 | 1
2020–21 | 26 | 13 | — | — | — | 26 | 13
2021–22 | 17 | 6 | — | — | — | 17 | 6
Total  | 70 | 23 | — | — | — | 70 | 23
Real Monarchs (Loan)  | 2019 | USL Championship | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1
Aris | 2021–22 | Super League Greece | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | 11 | 2
2022–23 | 29 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 4[b] | 1 | — | 36 | 13
2023–24 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 2 | — | 4 | 2
Total  | 41 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | — | 51 | 17
Celtic | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 23 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 5[c] | 2 | — | 30 | 9
Career total  | 147 | 43 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 164 | 50

1. ^ Includes Greek Cup
2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

### International[edit]

As of match played 21 November 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year  National team | Year | Apps | Goals

|
|
|

Honduras | 2021 | 2 | 0
2022 | 4 | 0
2023 | 6 | 1
Total | 12 | 1
List of international goals scored by Luis Palma  No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition

|
|
|
|
|
|

1 | 13 September 2023 | Estadio Nacional Chelato Uclés, Tegucigalpa, Honduras |  Grenada | 3–0 | 4–0 | CONCACAF Nations League

## Honours[edit]

Real Monarchs

* USL Championship: 2019[25]

Individual

* CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship Best XI: 2020
* Super League Greece Player of the Month: November 2022[26]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Honduras" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 5\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2011. `{{cite web}}`: `|archive-date=` / `|archive-url=` timestamp mismatch; 6 February 2020 suggested (help)
2. ^ o brien / "Pearse". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 2023-09-03. `{{cite web}}`: Check `|url=` value (help)
3. ^ "Vida golea al Honduras Progreso en partidazo en La Ceiba" [Vida beats Honduras Progreso in a great game at La Ceiba] (in Spanish). Diario Diez. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
4. ^ "Real Monarchs SLC Acquires Luis Palma on Loan from C.D.S. Vida". Real Salt Lake. 12 February 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
5. ^ "Real Monarchs Draws 1-1 with Sacramento Republic FC". Real Salt Lake. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
6. ^ "Real Monarchs SLC Drops 3-1 Result Against San Antonio FC". Real Salt Lake. 27 July 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
7. ^ "Ο LUIS PALMA ΣΤΟΝ ΑΡΗ!" [LUIS PALMA TO ARES!] (in Greek). Aris Thessaloniki. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
8. ^ "Luis Palma revela que tuvo ofertas del Braga y Levante, además lo que pesó para decidirse por el Aris FC" [Luis Palma reveals that he had offers from Braga and Levante, also what made him decide to join Aris FC] (in Spanish). Deportes TVC. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
9. ^ "¡Debutó 'El Bicho'! El hondureño Luis Palma vio sus primeros minutos con el Aris Salónica en la Superliga de Grecia" [Debut for 'El Bicho'! Honduran Luis Palma saw his first minutes with Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek Super League] (in Spanish). Diario Diez. 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
10. ^ "Luis Palma se estrena como goleador en el Aris Salónica que derrota como visitante al AEK en la Liga de Grecia" [Luis Palma scores his first goal as Aris Thessaloniki defeats AEK away in Greek League] (in Spanish). Diario Diez. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
11. ^ "Golazo: Luis Palma anota su segundo con gol en la Superliga de Grecia con el Aris Salónica" [Luis Palma scores his second Greek Super League goal with Aris Thessaloniki] (in Spanish). La Prensa. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
12. ^ "Άρης - Γκόμελ 5-1: Κίτρινο πάρτι με πεντάρα στο Βικελίδης και "εισιτήριο" για την επόμενη φάση" [Aris - Gomel 5-1: Yellow party with five goals at Vikelidis and a "ticket" to the next stage] (in Greek). Sport24. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
13. ^ "Aris de Luis Palma eliminado de la Europa Conference League" [Aris of Luis Palma eliminated from the Europa Conference League] (in Spanish). Diario MAS. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
14. ^ "Άρης - Λαμία 5-0: Ξέσπασμα με πεντάρα και show του Λουίς Πάλμα" (in Greek). www.sport24.gr. 8 November 2022.
15. ^ "Λουίς Πάλμα: Οι γνωστοί στον Άρη ενδιαφερόμενοι και οι αξιώσεις των "κίτρινων"" (in Greek). www.sport24.gr. 6 April 2023.
16. ^ "Cazatalentos del Manchester United quedó maravillado con el golazo olímpico de Luis Palma en el triunfo del Aris" [Manchester United scout was amazed at Luis Palma's Olympic goal in Aris win]. Diario Diez (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 April 2023.
17. ^ "Celtic delighted to sign Honduras internationalist, Luis Palma". Celtic F.C. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
18. ^ "Oficial: Los convocados de la Sub-23 de Honduras para el Preolímpico Sub-23 en Guadalajara, México" [Official: Honduras U-23 squad for the U-23 Pre-Olympic in Guadalajara, Mexico] (in Spanish). Diario Diez. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
19. ^ "U.S. U-23s collapse in yet another Olympic qualifying disaster". Goal. 28 March 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
20. ^ "Los elegidos para llevar a Honduras a la gloria Olímpica" [The chosen ones to lead Honduras to Olympic glory] (in Spanish). Olympic Games. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
21. ^ "Honduras remonta a Nueva Zelanda y tiene vida en Tokio 2020" [Honduras overcomes New Zealand and has life in Tokyo 2020] (in Spanish). AS. 25 July 2021.
22. ^ "Honduras v Costa Rica game report". FIFA. 7 October 2021.
23. ^ "Honduras sella primera victoria en la nueva era Rueda tras vapulear a Granada y respira en la Nations League" [Honduras seals first victory in the new Rueda era after thrashing Grenada and takes in a breath of fresh air in the Nations League] (in Spanish). Diario Diez. 13 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
24. ^ Luis Palma at Soccerway
25. ^ "Louisville City FC vs Real Monarchs SLC". USL Championship. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
26. ^ "Player of the Month Νοεμβρίου o Πάλμα του Άρη | athlitiko". Athlitiko.gr | Το αθλητικό site της Κρήτης. 2022-11-23. Retrieved 2022-11-23.

## External links[edit]

* Luis Palma at Celtic FC
* Luis Palma at Soccerway
* Luis Palma at Aris Thessaloniki (archived)
* Luis Palma at Real Salt Lake
* Luis Palma at USL Championship

* v
* t
* e

Celtic F.C. - current squad

* 1 Hart
* 2 Johnston
* 3 Taylor
* 4 Lagerbielke
* 5 Scales
* 7 Palma
* 8 Furuhashi
* 9 Idah
* 10 Kühn
* 13 Yang
* 15 Holm
* 16 McCarthy
* 17 Nawrocki
* 18 Kobayashi
* 19 Oh
* 20 Carter-Vickers
* 24 Iwata
* 28 Bernardo
* 29 Bain
* 31 Siegrist
* 33 O'Riley
* 38 Maeda
* 41 Hatate
* 42 McGregor (c)
* 49 Forrest
* 56 Ralston
* 57 Welsh
* Manager: Rodgers

* v
* t
* e

Honduras men's football squad – 2020 Summer Olympics

* 1 Güity
* 2 Maldonado (c)
* 3 Decas
* 4 Ca. Meléndez
* 5 Cr. Meléndez
* 6 Núñez
* 7 Reyes
* 8 Rodríguez
* 9 Benguché
* 10 Rivas
* 11 Elvir
* 12 Perelló
* 13 Moya
* 14 Pinto
* 15 Pineda
* 16 García
* 17 Palma
* 18 Obregón
* 19 Martínez
* 20 Álvarez
* 21 Oliva
* 22 Ramos
* Coach: Falero

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template