Óscar David Suazo Velázquez (born 5 November 1979) “La pantera” or “El Rey David” is a Honduran retired professional footballer turned coach who played as a striker. Suazo played more than 300 league games and scored over 90 league goals in Italy during a span of 12 seasons.
Club career
Early career
Nicknamed
La Pantera (The Panther) or
El Rey David (The King David),
Suazo was born in San Pedro Sula. In his early career, he developed alongside his cousin,
Maynor Suazo, who also went on to play for the Honduras national team. Suazo took his first steps at Olimpia Reserves and later went on to play at the
Liga Bancaria. After his participation in 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, he was acquired by domestic club team Olimpia. He continued to impress playing for Olimpia's youth system under the coaching of the late Angel Ramón Paz ("Mon Paz") and earned a spot on the top squad before turning 20 years old.
Cagliari
Óscar Tabárez, then-coach of Italian side
Cagliari Calcio, was impressed by Suazo's performance and did not hesitate in bringing him to Europe,
for US$2 million transfer fee and US$200,000 tax to National Autonomous Federation of Football of Honduras, as well as 15–20% of the future capital gain if Cagliari sold the player above the US$2.2 million price tag.
Suazo officially joined the club ahead of the 1999–2000 Serie A season. In his first year with the team, he scored one goal in 13 league appearances, and at the end of the 1999–2000 season, Cagliari were relegated to
Serie B where they would remain until the 2003–04 season
Internazionale
On 13 June 2007, reports arose that Suazo had agreed terms with Serie A champions
Inter Milan. Six days later, however, crosstown rivals and reigning European champions Milan announced that they themselves had acquired Suazo.
[ ] While Milan claimed they had successfully negotiated with Cagliari, the deal with Inter was confirmed by Cagliari chairman
Massimo Cellino. 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." It was later announced that Suazo was confirmed with Inter on 26 June for €14 million fee (with about US$2.5 million was required to pay by Cagliari to Olimpia)
[FC Internazionale Milano 2006–07 Bilancio (Report and Accounts), PDF purchased in Italian CCIAA (in Italian)]
Loans
After a less-than-impressive first season with Inter, Suazo was loaned to Portuguese club Benfica for the 2008–09 season. Suazo however, appeared in just 12 league matches and scored just four goals during the season. Following his return to Inter in June 2009, he was given limited squad space and failed to make any starts for his club.
On 29 December 2009, it was confirmed that Suazo had been authorized to play friendly match for Genoa, two days before the opening of the winter transfer window.
Suazo made his debut for Genoa against Milan in a losing effort, appearing on the scoresheet in the process. He scored the second goal for Genoa and was eventually substituted in the 80th minute for Hernán Crespo. His loan with Genoa proved to be highly unsuccessful, as the player scored a mere 2 goals in 16 Serie A appearances.
Return to Inter
After his Genoa loan expired, Suazo returned to Inter but, in part because of a long-term injury, he was not included in the first-team, thus failing to make a single appearance in the entire 2010–11 season. Suazo's contract with Inter expired on 30 June 2011, leaving the player without a contract. Since then, he was linked with a comeback at Cagliari following a trial period. This was a possibility that was later confirmed by club chairman Massimo Cellino, who, on 13 July 2011, confirmed Suazo's return to Sardinia by the end of the transfer window, and defined his signing as "a cherry on the pie".
Catania
On 12 August 2011, Suazo signed for Calcio Catania on a one-year deal. He was officially presented on the same day alongside new arrivals Mario Paglialunga and Davide Lanzafame. Suazo was assigned the number 9 jersey, though only would make six appearances during his time in Sicily, which ended upon the expiration of his contract on 30 June 2012.
On 27 March 2013, at the age of 33, he announced his retirement from football, due to his persisting struggles with knee injuries.
International career
Suazo played for the Honduras national under-20 football team at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship. He made his senior debut for Honduras in a May 1999 friendly match against Haiti and has earned a total of 57 caps, scoring 17 goals. He has represented his country in 30 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[ Qualifying Tournament for Gold Cup 2003 - Details - RSSSF] as well as at the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[ CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2003 - Full Details - RSSSF] He also played a few minutes of Honduras' first match at the 2001 Copa América.[ Copa América 2001 - RSSSF]
His final international appearance came on 12 June 2012, in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Canada.
Post-playing and coaching career
Following his retirement as a player, Suazo was hired by his former team Cagliari Calcio as a scout. In 2014, he joined the first team coaching staff as an assistant to Ivo Pulga for the final part of the season; he successively was appointed to the same role by the end of the 2014–15 season, supporting new head coach Gianluca Festa.
For the 2015–16 season, he was named new youth team coach for the Giovanissimi Nazionali.
On 5 June 2018, he was appointed manager of Serie B side Brescia Calcio by Massimo Cellino, former chairman of his while at Cagliari.
On 13 May 2021, Suazo returned into management as the new head coach of struggling Sardinian Serie D side Carbonia.
Style of play
A quick and physically strong striker, Suazo is considered to be one of the greatest players Honduras has ever produced. His main characteristic as a forward was his incredible speed, both on and off the ball, which made him arguably one of the fastest Serie A players of his time. His pace and acceleration made him a dangerous offensive threat on counter-attacks and allowed him to create space and provide depth to his team with his runs from behind. In spite of his ability, however, he was often injury prone throughout his career.
Personal life
David's brothers are Nicolás and Ruben Suazo. Former internationals Maynor Suazo and Hendry Thomas are his cousins. He holds Italian nationality by virtue of his 2005 marriage to an Italian woman, Elisa Secchi.[ ] They have two sons, David Edoardo (born in 2005) and Luis Suazo (born in 2008).
Career statistics
Club
International
- Scores and results list Honduras' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Suazo goal.
| + List of international goals scored by David Suazo |
|
| 1 | 16 July 2000 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador | | 5–0 | 5–2 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 2 September 2000 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers |
| 3 | 12 June 2004 | Stadion Ergilio Hato, Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles | | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 12 June 2004 | Stadion Ergilio Hato, Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles | | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 19 June 2004 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 18 August 2004 | Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto, Alajuela, Costa Rica | | 1–1 | 5–2 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 8 September 2004 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 7 October 2006 | Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States | | 3–2 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 9 | 12 September 2007 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 10 | 26 March 2008 | Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States | | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 4 June 2008 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 4 June 2008 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 7 June 2008 | Estadio Nilmo Edwards, La Ceiba, Honduras | | 2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 14 | 14 June 2008 | Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel, Bayamón, Puerto Rico | | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 5 September 2009 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 16 | 18 November 2009 | Land Shark Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States | | 1–1 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 17 | 11 April 2012 | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica | | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
Honours
Olimpia
-
Honduran Liga Nacional: 1998–99
-
Honduran Super Copa: 1996–97
-
Honduran Cup: 1998
Cagliari
Internazionale
-
Serie A: 2007–08,
-
Supercoppa Italiana: 2010
-
Coppa Italia: 2009–10
-
UEFA Champions League: 2009–10
-
FIFA Club World Cup: 2010,
Benfica
Honduras
-
CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament: 2000
Individual
-
Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year: 2006
External links
