Honduras-born soccer star Juan Carlos Garcia, who died Monday after losing a three-year battle with leukemia, is being immortalized in a statue in the Plaza Mundialista of the General Francisco Morazan Stadium.
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Garcia, who died aged 29, shot to fame in 2013 when he scored his first international goal – a bicycle kick – to equalize in a 2-1 home win against the United States in the World Cup qualifying.
It was the first time in 24 years that the United States had lost their first game of a World Cup qualification campaign.
Garcia later made an appearance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil as Honduras exited in the group stage, replacing Izaguirre at half time in a 1–2 defeat to Ecuador in Curitiba.
Garcia, who also played for Wigan in the United Kingdom, made his debut for Honduras in a July 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Grenada, coming on as a sub for Carlos Palacios.
The new statue, in the city of San Pedro Sula, is one of four sculptures at the stadium featuring Hondurans who have played in world championships.