Alberth Elis overcomes a life-threatening injury and career uncertainty to make a remarkable return to football with Olimpia in Honduras.
Pain is often the price of perseverance and few footballers embody that more than Alberth Elis.
Just one year after a life-threatening head injury left him in a coma, the Honduran international has defied the odds, returning to professional football with his boyhood club, Olimpia.
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Elis, now 28, has signed a one-year contract with Olimpia, the club where his professional journey began.
After a horrific head injury in February 2024 during a French second-tier match with Bordeaux, many feared his career might be over.
The incident, occurring just 40 seconds into the game against Guingamp, left Elis unconscious and requiring emergency brain surgery. He was placed in an induced coma and spent a month in the hospital before beginning the arduous process of rehabilitation.
“When I woke [from the coma] I didn’t remember that I was a footballer,” Elis told The Athletic in November.
“I didn’t remember that I was in France, I didn’t remember that I was Honduran. The doctors thought it was going to be difficult for me to be well again.”
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The road to recovery was grueling. Elis not only had to regain physical strength but also had to relearn basic cognitive skills.
He required assistance to recover his reading and writing abilities, which he “lost in large parts” after the injury. The first weeks of recovery were mentally draining, but Elis slowly regained his sense of self and his love for football.
However, just as he started contemplating a return to the game, another setback arrived. His club, Bordeaux, was plunged into financial turmoil, forcing them to drop to amateur status in France’s fourth tier.
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Suddenly, Elis found himself without a team and at a career crossroads. Yet, instead of despairing, he focused on his recovery, determined to return stronger.
Now, back where it all began, Elis is embracing a new chapter with Olimpia.
His return has been met with immense excitement in Honduras, where fans remember his electrifying performances that once earned him moves to Mexico, the United States, Portugal, and France.
“The first two weeks were difficult because mentally I wasn’t 100%,” Elis admitted as per BBC.
“But day by day, I started to get better.”
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Olimpia, one of Honduras’ most successful clubs, is eager to reintegrate Elis into their squad, offering him both familiarity and support as he rebuilds his career.
Though the journey back to full form will take time, his resilience has already proven that he is not one to back down from adversity.
With 64 caps and 13 goals for the Honduran national team, Elis remains a key figure for his country.
His tenure with Bordeaux saw him net 15 goals in 60 appearances, while his time in Major League Soccer with the Houston Dynamo made him a household name in North America.
