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Osvaldo Alonso

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Osvaldo Alonso
Personal information
Full name Osvaldo Alonso Moreno
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Seattle Sounders FC
Number 6
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 Pinar del Río 42 (14)
2008 Charleston Battery 32 (8)
2009– Seattle Sounders FC 27 (1)
International career‡
2006–2007 Cuba 17 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 November, 2009
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 October, 2009

Osvaldo Alonso (born November 11, 1985 in San Cristóbal) is a Cuban footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.

Career

Professional

Alonso began his career with Pinar del Río in his homeland; following his defecting to the United States in June 2007.[1], Alonso trained with Chivas USA, and was offered a $12,900 developmental contract with the team. Eventually, Alonso opted to sign with Charleston Battery on the theory he would get more playing time on a USL First Division team.[2] He impressed early after a strong outing the preseason Carolina Challenge Cup 2008.[3], and ultimately enjoyed an impressive rookie season in which he started 31 games for the Battery and scored eight goals.[4] He was named 2008 team MVP and Newcomer of the Year on fan votes, the team's Player's Player of the Year by a team vote, and the USL-1 Rookie of the Year by league coach and GM vote.[3]

International

Alonso served as captain of the Cuba U-23 national team during qualification for the men's football tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He made his debut for the senior Cuban national team in a Caribbean Nations Cup 2006-07 match against the Turks & Caicos Islands in September 2006. During his time with the Cuban national team he earned 17 caps, scoring two goals.[4] His final appearance for the national team was at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup in June 2007 against Panama.

Statistics

Season Club Country Competition Apps. Goals
2005/06 FC Pinar del Río  Cuba Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba - -
2006/07 FC Pinar del Río  Cuba Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba - -
2008 Charleston Battery  United States USL First Division 31 7
2009 Seattle Sounders FC  United States Major League Soccer 26 1
Total Last Updated 8-07-2009 57 8

Defection to the United States

Alonso defected from Cuba while the team was in Houston, Texas to face the Honduran team. Another Cuban teammate, Lester Moré, defected to the United States during the team's same trip to the United States.[1] Alonso was with teammates at a Wal-Mart when he went off by himself while browsing through merchandise and then left the store.[2] Alonso walked several blocks from the store until he found a man who spoke Spanish and borrowed a cell phone to call a friend in Miami, Florida.

Honors

Pinar del Río

Seattle Sounders FC

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Two Cuban Defectors Will Get Chivas Tryout". The Washington Post. 30 June 2007. p. E02. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
  2. ^ a b Miller, Andrew (12 July 2008). "Player who defected from Cuba realized dream, longs to see family again". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  3. ^ a b "Alonso Named USL-1 Rookie of the Year". Soccer365.com. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
  4. ^ a b "Charleston Battery: The Team: Roster". CharlestonBattery.com. Retrieved 2008-07-12.


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