Óscar Cardozo
|
Cardozo with Trabzonspor in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Óscar René Cardozo Marín | ||
| Date of birth | 20 May 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Raúl Arsenio Oviedo, Paraguay | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Libertad | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Club 24 de Junio | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2004 | 3 de Febrero | 34 | (20) |
| 2004–2006 | Nacional Asunción | 63 | (22) |
| 2006–2007 | Newell's Old Boys | 33 | (21) |
| 2007–2014 | Benfica | 175 | (112) |
| 2014–2016 | Trabzonspor | 50 | (25) |
| 2016–2017 | Olympiacos | 22 | (3) |
| 2017– | Libertad | 253 | (103) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2006–2023 | Paraguay | 58 | (12) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:37, 27 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023 (UTC) | |||
Óscar René Cardozo Marín (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈoskaɾ reˈne kaɾˈðoso maˈɾin]; born 20 May 1983), best known as Tacuara (Guarani for Guadua), is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Club Libertad and the Paraguay national team.
Known for his powerful left-foot shot and free-kick skills, he first gained attention whilst playing for Newell's Old Boys, which led to a move to Benfica in 2007. He scored nearly 200 official goals for the Portuguese club and won eight major titles, including the 2010 national championship, where he also was the top scorer, and the domestic treble in the 2013–14 season. He then spent two years with Trabzonspor in Turkey before joining Olympiacos.
Nicknamed "Tacuara" (from "Takuára" – Big cane in Guarani), Cardozo gained more than 50 caps for Paraguay, representing the nation at the 2007 Copa América, 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2019 Copa América. In 2006 and 2009, he was named Paraguayan Footballer of the Year.