Cagliari Honduras national football team
David Suazo played for which team from 1999 to 2007?
David Suazo Óscar David Suazo Velázquez ( born 5 November 1979 ) is a Honduran retired professional footballer turned coach who played as a striker . Suazo played more than 300 league games and scored over 100 league goals in Italy during a span of 13 years . 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 football 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 Olimpias 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 , was impressed by Suazos 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$2.2M 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 . In 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 ) . Suazos 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 Lega Calcio . In the 2004–05 Serie A season , Suazo scored seven goals in 22 matches in a 4–3–3 scheme in which he performed as a reserve behind Gianfranco Zola , Mauro Esposito and Antonio Langella . Suazos scoring proved vital in helping Cagliari avoid relegation and impressed top clubs across Europe , despite only scoring six goals . In 2006 , he became a starter for Cagliari and scored 22 goals in Serie A . For his play that season , Suazo was honoured with the Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year , which he shared with Milans Kaká . In 2007 , Suazo continued his great play for Cagliari , where he scored 18 more goals in the Serie A and helped save Cagliari from another relegation to Serie B . During his spell with Cagliari , Suazo was known for his attacking partnership with both Langella and Esposito . Internazionale . On 13 June 2007 , reports arose that Suazo had agreed terms with Serie A champions Internazionale . 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 Suazos 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 ) 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 ( nickname of Milan ) understood that I had a promise with coach Roberto Mancini , Marco Branca and chairman Massimo Moratti . He scored his first Inter goal against Genoa and scored a total of eight goals throughout his first season with the Nerazzurri ( the nickname of Inter ) . 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 . After the opening of the transfer window , Suazo officially joined Genoa on a six-month loan deal , where he replaced Sergio Floccari , who was transferred to Lazio on 4 January . This was part of a deal that completed a three-way , three-man swap in which Inter also received Goran Pandev from Lazio on free transfer . 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 . Suazos 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 Suazos return to Sardinia by the end of the transfer window , and defined his signing as a cherry on the pie . The transfer , however , collapsed after Suazo was asked to leave Cagliaris pre-season camp after Cellino opted against the move and changed his decision about the transfer . Catania . On 12 August 2011 , Suazo signed for 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 . He also played at the 2000 Summer Olympics and at the 2003 UNCAF Nations Cup as well as at the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup . He also played a few minutes of Honduras first match at the 2001 Copa América . 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 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 by Massimo Cellino , former chairman of his while at Cagliari . He was however sacked on 18 September 2018 after a negative start to the new season . 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 . He also possessed notable determination and great leadership skills on the pitch , serving as Cagliaris captain . Suazo also took several penalties and occasionally scored from free kicks . Personal life . Davids brothers are Nicolás and Ruben Suazo . Former internationals Maynor Suazo and Hendry Thomas are his cousins . He holds Italian nationality due to his marriage to an Italian woman , Elisa Secchi , in 2005 . They have two sons , David Edoardo and Luis Gabriel . Honours . Club . - Olimpia - Honduran Liga Nacional : 1998–99 - Honduran Super Copa : 1996–97 - Honduran Cup : 1998 - Internazionale - Serie A : 2007–08 , 2009–10 - Supercoppa Italiana : 2010 - Coppa Italia : 2009–10 - UEFA Champions League : 2009–10 - Benfica - Taça da Liga : 2008–09 International . - Honduras - CONCACAF Mens Olympic Qualifying Tournament : 2000 Individual . - Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year : 2006