| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Arnold Javier Cruz Argueta | ||
| Date of birth | 22 December 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | El Progreso, Honduras | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1989–1994 | Olimpia | ||
| 1994–1995 | UA Tamaulipas | 26 | (3) |
| 1995–1996 | Toluca | 21 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Atlético Morelia | 9 | (0) |
| 1997 | D.C. United | 5 | (0) |
| 1997 | San Jose Clash | 20 | (0) |
| 1998 | Platense | ||
| 1999 | Olimpia | ||
| 2000 | Chacarita Juniors | 13 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | Olimpia | ||
| 2001 | Universidad | ||
| 2002–2003 | Cartaginés | 67 | |
| 2004–2005 | Águila | ||
| 2005–2007 | Olimpia | ||
| 2007–2008 | Platense | 18 | |
| International career‡ | |||
| 1991–2003 | Honduras | 50 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2008 | Platense (assistant) | ||
| 2013–2014 | UPNFM | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2007 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 2000 | |||
Arnold Javier Cruz Argueta (born 22 December 1970) is a retired Honduran football defender. He currently is manager of second division side UPNFM. [1]
Nicknamed Chele, [2] Cruz started his professional career at Olimpia before moving abroad to join compatriot César Obando at Mexican outfit UA Tamaulipas. He then played for fellow Mexicans Toluca and Morelia [3] and joined Major League Soccer in 1997, where he would turn out for D.C. United and San Jose Clash. [4] The much-travelled defender enjoyed a season in Argentinian football with Chacarita Juniors [5] in between two more spells with Olimpia and played for Costa Rican side Cartaginés and the Salvadorans of Águila. [6]
He finally returned to Honduras and Olimpia in 2005 and finished his career at Platense in Liga Nacional de Honduras.
Cruz made his debut for Honduras in a May 1991 UNCAF Nations Cup match against Panama and has earned a total of 50 caps, scoring 3 goals. He has represented his country in 18 FIFA World Cup qualification matches [7] and played at the 1991, 1993, [8] 1995 [9] and 2003 UNCAF Nations Cups [10] as well as at the 1991, [11] 1996 [12] and 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cups. [13]
His final international was a June 2003 friendly match against Venezuela.
| N. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 22 September 1992 | Estadio Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras | 4–1 | 5–1 | Friendly match | |
| 2. | 17 November 1996 | Estadio Francisco Morazán, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | 3–0 | 11–3 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 3. | 20 August 2000 | New York City, USA | 2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly match | |
He retired in 2008 and became assistant coach for Nahúm Espinoza at Platense. In 2011, he worked for a Youth Institution of the Honduran government. [14] He became manager of UPNFM for the 2013 Clausura.