Osvaldo Alonso
Encyclopedia
Osvaldo Alonso Moreno is a Cuba
n footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC
in Major League Soccer
.
in his homeland, after which he defected to the United States
in June 2007. 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. He impressed early after a strong outing the preseason Carolina Challenge Cup 2008
., and ultimately enjoyed an impressive rookie season in which he started 31 games for the Battery and scored 7 goals. 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.
In February 2011, Alonso signed a contract extension with Seattle through the 2014 season.
. 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. His final appearance for the national team was at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
in June 2007 against Panama
.
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. Alonso was with teammates at a Wal-Mart
when he went off by himself while browsing through merchandise and then left the store. 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
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Professional
Alonso began his career with Pinar del RíoFC Pinar del Río
FC Pinar del Río is a Cuban football club based in Pinar del Río, which currently play Cuban first division.-Achievements:*Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba: 7-Performance in CONCACAF competitions:*CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2 appearances...
in his homeland, after which he defected to the United States
Wet feet, dry feet policy
The wet foot, dry foot policy is the name given to a consequence of the 1995 revision of the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 that says, essentially, that anyone who fled Cuba and got into the United States would be allowed to pursue residency a year later...
in June 2007. Alonso trained with Chivas USA
C.D. Chivas USA
Club Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada....
, and was offered a $12,900 developmental contract
Developmental roster
In Major League Soccer, in addition to the senior roster, each team can carry a developmental roster of a certain number of young players whose contracts do not count against the salary cap...
with the team. Eventually, Alonso opted to sign with Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
on the theory he would get more playing time on a USL First Division team. He impressed early after a strong outing the preseason Carolina Challenge Cup 2008
Carolina Challenge Cup 2008
The Carolina Challenge Cup is a four-team round robin pre-season competition hosted by the Charleston Battery. It was started in 2004 and features teams from Major League Soccer and the United Soccer Leagues...
., and ultimately enjoyed an impressive rookie season in which he started 31 games for the Battery and scored 7 goals. 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.
In February 2011, Alonso signed a contract extension with Seattle through the 2014 season.
International
Alonso served as captain of the Cuba U-23 national team during qualification for the men's football tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. He made his debut for the senior Cuban national team
Cuba national football team
The Cuba national football team is the national team of Cuba and is controlled by the Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba. They are affiliated to the Caribbean Football Union of CONCACAF....
in a Caribbean Nations Cup 2006-07 match against the Turks & Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands national football team
The Turks and Caicos Islands national football team is the national team of the Turks and Caicos Islands and is controlled by the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association...
in September 2006. During his time with the Cuban national team he earned 17 caps, scoring two goals. His final appearance for the national team was at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...
in June 2007 against Panama
Panama national football team
The Panama national football team is the national team of Panama and is controlled by the Panamanian Football Federation. Panama reached the 2006 World Cup CONCACAF Final Round in the qualifiers and finished as runners-up at the final game of the 2005 Gold Cup...
.
Statistics
| Season | Club | Country | Competition | Apps. | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005/06 | FC Pinar del Río FC Pinar del Río FC Pinar del Río is a Cuban football club based in Pinar del Río, which currently play Cuban first division.-Achievements:*Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba: 7-Performance in CONCACAF competitions:*CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2 appearances... |
Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba is the top division of the Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba, it was created in 1912.Despite being a league competition in CONCACAF, since 1990 none of the Cuban teams had played in CFU Club Championship or CONCACAF Champions' Cup till the CFU Club Championship... |
- | - | |
| 2006/07 | - | - | |||
| 2008 | Charleston Battery Charleston Battery Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.... |
USL First Division USL First Division The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.... |
23 | 4 | |
| 2009 | Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in... |
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada... |
27 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 23 | 1 | |||
| 2011 | 33 | 3 | |||
| Total | Last Updated | November 7, 2011 | 148 | 23 | |
Defection to the United States
Alonso defected from Cuba while the team was in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
to face the Honduran team
Honduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...
. Another Cuban teammate, Lester Moré
Lester Moré
Lester Moré is a Cuban soccer player who currently plays for Los Angeles Azul Legends in the USL Premier Development League.-Club:...
, defected to the United States during the team's same trip to the United States. Alonso was with teammates at a Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
when he went off by himself while browsing through merchandise and then left the store. 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
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Seattle Sounders FC
- Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupLamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
(3): 20092009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 96th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early September.The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, 20102010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 97th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October.The tournament proper featured teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, 20112011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupThe 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 98th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October. Seattle Sounders FC, who entered the competition as the two-time defending champions, successfully defended their title again. They became the third team in...