David Suazo

Óscar David Suazo Velázquez (born 5 November 1979 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras) is a Honduran Association football, who currently plays as a striker for F.C. Internazionale Milano in Milan, Italy after returning from a loan spell with Portuguese side S.L. Benfica

David Suazo was a member of the Honduran squad that competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. David Suazo is brother of Nicholas Suazo and Ruben Suazo also the cousin of Maynor Suazo and Hendry Thomas.

Club career

Early career

Suazo also was able to develop alongside David Suazo cousin, Maynor Suazo, who also serves for the Honduran national team. David Suazo took David Suazo first steps at Club Deportivo Olimpia Reservas and later went on to play at the Liga Bancaria. After David Suazo participation in 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship held at Nigeria, David Suazo was acquired by domestic club team Club Deportivo Olimpia. Suazo continued to impress playing for Olimpia's youth system under the coaching of Angel Ramon Paz (Mon Paz) and earned a spot on the top squad before turning 20 years old.

Cagliari

Oscar Tabarez, then coach of the Italian side Cagliari, was impressed by Suazo's performance and did not hesitate in bringing David Suazo across the Atlantic.

Suazo joined Cagliari Calcio and Serie A for the 1999–00 season. In David Suazo first season with the team, David Suazo scored one goal in 13 appearances. At the end of the 1999–00 season, Cagliari were relegated to Serie B, where they would remain until the 2003–04 season.

In their four years in Serie B, Suazo played 113 matches and scored 40 goals for the club. David Suazo scoring efficiency was impressive enough for David Suazo to earn the nickname La Pantera (the Panther). Suazo's time in Serie B provided David Suazo with great experience which would help ease David Suazo transition into more difficult competition at the top of the Italian league.

In the 2004–05 season at Serie A, Suazo scored seven goals in 22 matches in a 4-3-3 schema in which David Suazo performed as a reserve behind Gianfranco Zola, Mauro Esposito, and Antonio Langella. Suazo's scoring proved vital in helping Cagliari avoid relegation and impressed top clubs across Europe despite only scoring six goals. In 2006, David Suazo became a starter for Cagliari and scored 22 goals in the Serie A. For David Suazo play that season Suazo was honored with the Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year, which David Suazo shared with Brazilian playmaker Kaká. In 2007, David Suazo continued with David Suazo great play for Cagliari, where David Suazo scored 18 more goals in the Serie A championship and single-handedly saved Cagliari from descent to Serie B.

Internazionale Milano

On June 13 2007, reports arose that Suazo had agreed on terms with Serie A champions F.C. Internazionale Milano on a deal worth €10 million. Six days later, though, crosstown rival and European champions A.C. Milan announced that they themselves had acquired Suazo for the same monetary amount.

While Milan claimed they had successfully negotiated with Cagliari, the letter was confirmed by Cagliari president Massimo Cellino, who denied having made any contact with Moratti regarding the matter. Meanwhile, one of Suazo's agents, Carlo Pallavicino, added to the confusion by saying, "Suazo has not had any contact with Milan and David Suazo still has not given David Suazo consent to the transfer." It was later announced that Suazo was confirmed with Inter after Milan officially withdraw their contract offer. Since Suazo himself wanted to keep David Suazo initial agreement with Inter. "It was an issue of respect. The Rossoneri understood that I had a promise with coach Roberto Mancini, Marco Branca and president Massimo Moratti.". David Suazo was in fact free to join Inter for a fee of £9.4 million. David Suazo scored David Suazo first goal against Genoa C.F.C and made a total of eight goals throughout David Suazo first season with the nerazzurri.

After David Suazo loan with Benfica ended, Suazo returned to Milan to train for the upcoming World Football Challenge in the United States.

International career

Suazo currently has 42 caps and 14 goals scored for Honduras. Suazo's success at Olimpia made David Suazo a selection for the Honduran team participating in the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup. While the Honduran team failed to impress in the tournament, losing all three of their games, Suazo, as team captain, scored 2 of their 4 goals. David Suazo was also a member of the Honduran squad that competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics. David Suazo played 3 games and scored 3 goals, but it wasn't enough for Honduras to progress to the next round. Suazo played 13 times and only scored 2 goals in Honduras 2002 World Cup qualifying run. Suazo just missed out from competing in David Suazo first ever World Cup as Honduras was 4 points shy from qualifying. Suazo was part of Honduras squad in their 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup. David Suazo played in each group game but Honduras failed to progress. Suazo played only 5 times and scored 5 goals in Honduras disappointing 2006 World Cup qualifying run.