Liverpool youngster Keyrol Figueroa has enjoyed a proud moment, making his international debut for Honduras against Alexis Mac Allister‘s Argentina.
The domestic season has made way for international football, with the 2026 World Cup getting underway in Mexico on Thursday evening.
For Figueroa in the early hours of Sunday, it was a special occasion, as he made his Honduras bow at senior level.
The 19-year-old Liverpool striker was introduced at half-time in Honduras’ 2-0 defeat to reigning world champions Argentina.
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 1, 2025: Liverpool's Keyrol Figueroa celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Premier League 2 match between Liverpool FC Under-21's and Middlesbrough FC Under-21's at the Liverpool Academy. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Messi was present but was only an unused substitute, as goals from Lautaro Martinez (penalty) and Giuliano Simeone secured the win for Argentina.
Figueroa completed five of his six passes, having to make do without seeing much of the ball, also completing two out of three dribbles, per FotMob.
Honduras did not qualify for the World Cup, so Figueroa will have to wait at least four years to prove himself at that level.
However, his last campaign at Liverpool began to get him noticed as he scored 12 goals in Premier League 2 – only Kieran Morrison managed more (14) for the Reds.
He was called up to the senior team for the first by Arne Slot in October, when he sat on the bench for Liverpool’s 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat against Crystal Palace.
Keyrol Figueroa’s international journey
FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Wednesday, October 22, 2025: Liverpool's (L-R) Trent Kone-Doherty, Kieran Morrison, Keyrol Figueroa, Josh Sonni-Lambie, Alvin Ayman line-up before the UEFA Youth League match between Eintracht Frankfurt Under-19's and Liverpool FC Under-19's at Sportpark Dreieich. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Figueroa may represent Honduras now, but that hasn’t always been the case, after it was confirmed last month that he had switched his allegiance from the USA.
He played for them at youth level, but is now playing for the country his dad, Maynor Figueroa, is the record cap holder for, winning an incredible 181 caps.
Figueroa himself has said that “people who know me know that I never said no (to Honduras),” with the teenage attacker adding:
“I can feel the excitement of it all. All my life, I have felt a sense of Honduran identity. I feel a sense of honour that comes with responsibility; it is all happening right before my eyes.
“This is a very important day for all of us, not just for me.”
Other Liverpool players on pre-World Cup duty
Florian Wirtz scored a wonderful free-kick as Germany beat Northern Ireland (PA Wire/PA)
Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz started for Germany in their 2-1 win over the USA on Saturday, with Kai Havertz and Leroy Sane scoring the goals.
Alexis Mac Allister was a second-half substitute for Argentina as they beat Figueroa’s men, and Lewis Koumas made a cameo for Wales in their 2-1 loss to Romania.
Andy Robertson, now confirmed to become a Tottenham player, assisted for Scotland in their 4-0 victory over Bolivia, ahead of captaining his country at the World Cup.
Mohamed Salah, Alisson and Fabinho were reunited as Egypt took on Brazil, with the South American pair prevailing 2-1 in Ohio.