David Suazo

Óscar David Suazo Velázquez (born November 5, 1979 in San Pedro Sula) is a Honduras football (soccer), who currently plays striker for F.C. Internazionale Milano of Serie A. Suazo is the top player currently playing for the Honduras national football team, and he was a member of the Honduran squad that competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He is cousin of Maynor Suazo and Hendry Thomas.

Early Life

Suazo was born on 5 November 1979 in San Pedro Sula, the second largest city in Honduras. Suazo also was able to develop alongside his cousin, Maynor Suazo, who also serves for the Honduran national team. The two young players attracted great attention playing in San Pedro Sula development leagues, taking their first steps in San Pedro Sula's team, Marathon. After his participation in Nigeria '99, he 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 starting spot on the top squad before turning 20 years old. As a young, up and coming star in Honduras, Suazo seemed poised for a great career on the top of the Honduran domestic league.

Transfer to Europe

Although Suazo looked poised for a career at Olimpia, fate proved to have other plans. Suazo's success at Olimpia made him an easy selection for the Honduran team participating in the FIFA World Youth Championship Nigeria 1999. 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. Uruguayan Oscar Tabarez, then coach of the Italian side Cagliari, was dazzled by Suazo's performance and did not hesitate in bringing him across the Atlantic.

Cagliari Career

Suazo joined Cagliari Calcio and Serie A for the 1999-2000 season from Club Deportivo Olimpia of his native Honduras. In his first season with the team, he scored 1 goal in 13 appearances. At the end of the 1999-2000 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. His scoring efficiency was impressive enough for him to earn the nickname La Pantera (the Panther). Suazo's time in Serie B provided him with great experience which would help ease his transition into more difficult competition at the top of the Italian league. In his comeback season in Serie A, in 2004-2005, Suazo scored 7 goals in 22 matches in a 4-3-3 schema in which he performed as a reserve behind Gianfranco Zola, Mauro Esposito and Antonio Langella. In the 2005-06 season he returned to play as a regular, and broke the single season scoring record for Cagliari with 23 goals, passing Luigi Riva's 21, set in 1970. Suazo's scoring proved vital in helping Cagliari avoid relegation and impressed top clubs across Europe. For his play Suazo was honored with the Serie A award for Best Foreign Player, which he shared with Brazilian playmaker Kaka.

Transfer controversy

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 A.C. Milan announced that they themselves had acquired Suazo for the same monetary amount. Inter president Massimo Moratti declared that Suazo had already signed a contract with Inter (this being theoretically illegal under FIGC laws without a consent by Cagliari) and passed a medical, while Milan claimed they had successfully negotiated with Cagliari, the latter which 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 he still has not given his consent to the transfer." Suazo's official status remained unclear while the two teams battled for his services. It was later announced that Suazo was confirmed with Inter after Milan officially withdrew their contract offer. Since Suazo himself wanted to keep his 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.". Under the terms of the contract he had with Cagliari Calcio, he was in fact free to join Inter for a fee of £9.4 million.

Club honours

CD Olimpia
- Liga Nacional de Honduras : 1998-99
- Supercopa Honduras : 1996-97
- Torneo de Copa Honduras : 1998