Sporting Kansas City’s Roger Espinoza awaits call to Olympics, but will it come?

The initial call came a couple of months ago, and Sporting Kansas City midfielder Roger Espinoza started planning a trip to Brazil.

On the other end, a representative from the Honduras men’s national team gauged Espinoza’s interest in representing his home country in the 2016 Olympics. Espinoza answered in the affirmative. Sporting KC later approved the trip.

So why, months later, does he remain in limbo and appear to be on the outside looking in?

“I haven’t heard anything,” Espinoza said. “I’m seeing and hearing all these people talk about the roster and saying I’m not on it. I’m sure the roster is already sent to the Olympics, and I haven’t heard anything.”

Where did it go wrong?

Well, Espinoza ventured a guess. After getting the Olympics stint approved by Sporting KC, he said he planned to join the Honduras national team following Sunday’s match with Sporting KC, which plays host to Seattle at 2 p.m. at Children’s Mercy Park. The Olympic tournament starts Aug. 4, and Honduras plays on the opening day.

In other words, Espinoza instituted the same plan as he did in 2012, when he played in the London Olympics. But Honduras, which has since gone through a coaching change, requested he join training camp in early July.

“We’re in competition here with Sporting, so it wasn’t possible for me to be there (that early),” Espinoza said. “They just wanted wanted me to leave before the FIFA regulations. We have a lot of games and a tough situation here with Sporting, so I think it was too early to go over there for camp.”

The soccer tournament at the Olympics requires countries to qualify with their Under-23 squads. Once qualifying, teams can add three players older than 23 to their rosters. Espinoza was one of the three in 2012, when he was 25.

If he’s not selected in 2016 — and the absence of a follow-up phone call provides Espinoza with that indication — it does offer a bit of good news for Sporting KC.

The club is in the middle of the playoff race in the Western Conference, and Espinoza has undoubtedly been Sporting Kansas City’s most consistent player this season, taking over the captaincy role. He is second in MLS in duels won, seventh in tackles and ninth in completed passes.

“I’m in shape so there’s no reason for me not to be there (at the Olympics),” Espinoza said. “But I know I’m not the guy who qualified for it, so they deserve it. I don’t deserve it as much the kids who worked hard for it. I would be going to help.

“But obviously, I’m bummed. You’re always bummed. They tell you one thing and then you don’t go. But I feel very fortunate to have gone to one.”

This story was originally published July 23, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Sporting Kansas City’s Roger Espinoza awaits call to Olympics, but will it come?."