Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Óscar René Cardozo Marín | ||
Date of birth | 20 May 1983 | ||
Place of birth | Juan Eulogio Estigarribia, Paraguay | ||
Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1] | ||
Playing position | Striker | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Benfica | ||
Number | 7 | ||
Youth career | |||
Club 24 de Junio | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
2003–2004 | 3 Febrero | 34 | (20) |
2005–2006 | Nacional Asunción | 34 | (20) |
2006–2007 | Newell's Old Boys | 33 | (21) |
2007– | Benfica | 133 | (87) |
National team‡ | |||
2007– | Paraguay | 41 | (8) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). |
Óscar René Cardozo Marín (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈo̞skaɾ re̞ˈne̞ karˈð̞o̞so̞ maˈɾin], born 20 May 1983) is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, as a striker.
Known for his powerful left-foot shot and free-kick skills, he first gained notoriety whilst playing for Newell's Old Boys, which led to a move to Benfica, where he scored more than 100 official goals and won four major titles, namely the 2010 national championship, where he also was the top scorer.
Nicknamed "Tacuara" (Big cane in Guarani), Cardozo gained more than 50 caps for Paraguay, representing the nation at the 2010 World Cup.
Contents |
Club career
Beginnings / Newell's
Born in Juan Eulogio Estigarribia, Cardozo started his senior career with modest Club Atlético 3 de Febrero of Ciudad del Este, helping it to the second division championship. In 2004, he moved to the top level with Asunción's Club Nacional, where he quickly established himself as the team's top scorer, netting 17 overall goals in his last season.
Cardozo arrived at Argentina and Newell's Old Boys in the second half of the 2006–07 season for a transfer fee of $1.2 million, joining compatriots Diego Gavilán, Santiago Salcedo and Justo Villar. He scored 11 goals in only 16 games in the Apertura, but his team could only finish 18th in the tournament, and 13th overall; as a result of his performances, he was voted the 2006 Paraguayan Footballer of the Year.
Benfica
On 21 June 2007, Cardozo officially signed for Portuguese giants S.L. Benfica, after being bought for an approximate amount of €9.2 million for 80% of his playing rights.[2][3] This made him the second most expensive signing in the club's history, only surpassed by Simão Sabrosa, for whom the club paid €12 million in 2001. He finished his first season with 22 official goals, but the Reds came out empty in silverware; on 22 February 2008, he netted a last-minute goal against 1. FC Nuremberg for the season's UEFA Cup (2–2 away draw, 3–2 aggregate win): thus, he kept his promise of surpassing the 20-goal mark.[4]
In 2008–09, Cardozo scored 17 goals, all in the league, including the equalizer against F.C. Porto on 30 August 2008. He finished second in the Bola de Prata race, losing only to Liédson of Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Cardozo had a very positive 2009–10 pre-season, scoring eight goals in ten games. On 31 August 2009, in the third league game, he scored a hat-trick in a 8–1 home demolition of Vitória de Setúbal.[5] On 22 October, in the Europa League group stage match against Everton, Tacuara netted twice in two minutes, in an eventual 5–0 thrashing at the Estádio da Luz,[6][7] and added a further three in the league against C.D. Nacional (6–1, at home), and with Académica de Coimbra (4–0, home).
In the Europa League quarter-finals against Liverpool, Cardozo scored two penalties for a 2–1 home win.[8] He also found the net in the second leg at Anfield with a free kick, but in a 1–4 loss and subsequent elimination;[9] as Benfica won the national championship, adding the year's domestic League Cup, he finished with a career-high 38 goals in 47 matches (26 in the domestic league, leading Porto's Radamel Falcao by only one), partnering well with Argentine Javier Saviola.
In 2011–12, Cardozo was crowned Portuguese League top scorer for the second time at 20 goals (joint with S.C. Braga's Lima), as Benfica finished in second position.
International career
On 5 June 2007, Cardozo made his international debut for Paraguay, in a friendly with Mexico, scoring the game's only goal, and being selected for the squad that appeared in that year's Copa América. The tournament in Venezuela ended in the quarterfinals, and the player netted once, in a 3–1 group stage win against the United States.
Cardozo scored two goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, as Paraguay qualified for the finals in South Africa. On 29 June 2010, he scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Japan (5–3 victory), as La Albirroja qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time ever.[10] In the following game, however, with the score at 0–0, he missed a 59th-minute penalty against Spain, in a 0–1 defeat against the eventual champions.[11]
Cardozo was overlooked by coach Gerardo Martino for the 2011 Copa América squad, in spite of scoring 23 official goals for Benfica.
International goals
Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 June 2007 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico | 0–1 | 0–1 | Friendly |
2 | 28 June 2007 | Estadio Agustín Tovar, Barinas, Venezuela | United States | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2007 Copa América |
3 | 15 October 2008 | Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay | Peru | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
4 | 10 October 2009 | Polideportivo Cachamay, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela | Venezuela | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
5 | 29 March 2011 | LP Field, Nashville, United States | United States | 0–1 | 0–1 | Friendly |
6 | 2 September 2011 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama | Panama | 0–1 | 0–2 | Friendly |
7 | 6 September 2011 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | Honduras | 0–2 | 0–3 | Friendly |
8 | 6 September 2011 | Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras | Honduras | 0–3 | 0–3 | Friendly |
Club statistics
Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
3 de Febrero | 2003 | * | * | * | * | - | - | 0 | 0 | * | * |
2004 | * | * | * | * | - | - | 0 | 0 | * | * | |
Total | 34 | 20 | * | * | - | - | 0 | 0 | 34 | 20 | |
Nacional | 2004 | 14 | 3 | * | * | - | - | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
2005 | 29 | 9 | * | * | - | - | 0 | 0 | 29 | 9 | |
2006 | 20 | 10 | * | * | - | - | 0 | 0 | 20 | 10 | |
Total | 63 | 22 | * | * | - | - | 0 | 0 | 63 | 22 | |
Newell's Old Boys | 2006–07 | 33 | 21 | * | * | - | - | * | * | 33 | 21 |
Total | 33 | 21 | * | * | - | - | * | * | 33 | 21 | |
Benfica | 2007–08 | 29 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 45 | 22 |
2008–09 | 26 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 17 | |
2009–10 | 29 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 47 | 38 | |
2010–11 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 42* | 23 | |
2011–12 | 29 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 5 | 45 | 28 | |
Total | 133 | 87 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 6 | 51 | 24 | 214 | 128 | |
Career total | 263 | 150 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 6 | 51 | 24 | 344 | 191 |
- Last updated on 12/05/2012
*Includes one match in the Portuguese Supercup
Honours
Club
- 3 de Febrero
- Second Division: 2004
- Benfica
Individual
- Paraguayan Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2009
- Portuguese League: Top scorer 2009–10; 2011–12; Player of the Month [[2008–09 Portuguese Liga#SJPF ]
- UEFA Europa League: Top scorer 2009–10
Personal
Cardozo's younger brother, Ramón, is also a footballer and a forward. He represented mainly Tacuary, and also played abroad in Portugal, appearing in one season with F.C. Penafiel.
References
- ^ http://www.slbenfica.pt/Futebol/Plantel/Jogador/tabid/1066/PID/8/SeID/2/%C3%93scar%20Cardozo.aspx
- ^ "Comunicado [Announcement]" (in Portuguese). CMVM. 21 June 2007. http://web3.cmvm.pt/english/sdi2004/emitentes/docs/FR13988.pdf. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
- ^ Paraguayan striker Cardozo joins Benfica; ESPN Soccernet, 21 June 2007
- ^ Oscar "Tacuara" Cardozo cumplió con su promesa de llegar a los veinte goles (Oscar "Tacuara" Cardozo kept promise of reaching twenty goals); Somos Paraguay (Spanish)
- ^ Futebol: Liga (3.ª jornada) – Benfica dá 8–1 ao Setúbal e sobe a segundo (Football: League (3rd round) - Benfica hands Setúbal 8-1 and moves to second); Jornal de Notícias, 31 August 2009 (Portuguese)
- ^ Benfica 5–0 Everton; BBC Sport, 22 October 2009
- ^ Europa League: Everton humbled, Fulham denied; ESPN Soccernet, 22 October 2009
- ^ Ashenden, Mark (1 April 2010). "Benfica 2–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8596834.stm. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
- ^ Bevan, Chris (8 April 2010). "Liverpool 4–1 Benfica (agg 5–3)". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8606943.stm. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
- ^ Fletcher, Paul (29 June 2010). "Paraguay 0–0 Japan (5–3 pens)". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_55/default.stm. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
- ^ Fletcher, Paul (3 July 2010). "Paraguay 0–1 Spain". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_60/default.stm. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
External links
- Stats and profile at Zerozero
- Stats at ForaDeJogo
- PortuGOAL profile
- Óscar Cardozo at National-Football-Teams.com
- Óscar Cardozo – FIFA competition record
- 2010 FIFA World Cup profile
- ESPN stats
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