Adelaide United legend Cristiano has warned of the threat to the Socceroos in Honduras
ADELAIDE United legend Cristiano has warned the kidnap and mugging threat to the Socceroos is very real after he fled Honduras six months into a one-year deal with the nation’s biggest club.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ADELAIDE United legend Cristiano has warned the kidnap and mugging threat to the Socceroos is very real after he fled Honduras six months into a one-year deal with the nation’s biggest club.
The Socceroos face Honduras next month — first away in a two-legged cut throat tie with the aggregate winner heading to next year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Cristiano, 36, said he experienced first hand the desperation of the second poorest country in Central America, when one of his teammates’ two children and wife were kidnapped in 2012.
The Brazilian-born Australian said he only felt safe locked up at home in the nation’s capital Tegucigalpa during his contract with Deportivo Olimpia.
“They had to pay big money to get them (my teammates’ family) back, otherwise they would have killed them,’’ said Cristiano, who now works as a game development officer for Football Federation SA.
“It’s very bad, I was scared for my own life. It wasn’t worth me taking my family there, it wasn’t safe.
“I came back to Australia for a holiday (in 2012) and I didn’t go back. It’s one of the most dangerous places in the world.”
“But when you play for a club like Olimpia, you are pretty much a target.
“You have to avoid walking on the streets or going to the banks, just make sure you have people around you and you have to be very, very careful.
“I met a lot of friendly people, they like to look after you to help you, it’s a Catholic country but crime is everywhere.
“The problem over there, they will steal from you and if you don’t give them what they want they’ll kill you.
“I stayed in my home a lot, I had a private driver to go with me to the shops and banks.”
Cristiano wants the Socceroos take its own security team and five-star chef to Honduras.
He also pleaded the Socceroos arrive early for their FIFA World Cup qualifier concerned the Honduran hot weather and poor quality training pitches will affect the side.
“I would suggest they (Socceroos) bring your own chef and water, avoid walking on the streets by themselves,” he said. “They may need their own security, most of the countries that play over there bring their own security and it makes a lot of sense.”
At Olimpia, where he won a title, Cristiano played with Honduran internationals, veteran gloveman Donis Escober, 36, and classy midfielder Alexander López, 25. They were important in Honduras’ 3-2 win over Mexico on Wednesday.
Originally published as Adelaide United legend Cristiano has warned of the threat to the Socceroos in Honduras