Tottenham midfielder Wilson Palacios has revealed that he almost quit football following a family tragedy in his homeland of Honduras.

The combative midfielder, who made the switch to Spurs from Wigan last season has been an integral part of Harry Redknapp's first XI.

He has added some much needed steel to The Lillywhites' previously soft touch midfield, and has become a firm favourite amongst the White Hart Lane faithful.

Palacios has also helped guide Honduras to the World Cup in South Africa next summer, but he has recently revealed that he contemplated hanging up his boots altogether.

The 25-year-old was emotionally scarred when his younger brother was kidnapped and then tragically murdered in Honduras.

He was at such a low ebb that he admitted to thinking about calling time on his playing , but decided against it as it was what his brother would have wanted.

"I was going to give it up but my brother would have wanted me to keep playing," he told the News of The World.