Longtime Major League Soccer midfielder Osvaldo ‘Ozzie’ Alonso has confirmed his retirement from football.
The San Cristobal, Cuba native enjoyed a highly successful career that was almost exclusively in MLS.
His career started out in the US with Charleston Battery in the USL First Division in January 2008, where he managed six goals and two appearances in 30 appearances before signing for Seattle Sounders in January 2009 ahead of the Western Conference side’s inaugural MLS season.
The 38-year-old’s time in Seattle was nothing short of legendary. He went on to suit up 339 times for the Sounders, scoring 21 goals and dishing out 14 assists while playing primarily as a defensive midfielder.
Alonso was key to Seattle’s 2016 MLS Cup win, their first-ever, as well as four US Open Cup titles in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014. He departed Lumen Field in January 2019 after 10 unforgettable seasons that now sees him sit in second place in all-time appearances behind fellow club legend Stefan Frei.
Reflecting on the journey, grateful for every step…Fue un lindo camino!
Thank you very much….. Muchas gracias #FCPinardelRío @Chas_Battery @SoundersFC @MNUFC @ATLUTD . #BTAMI #22años #graciasfútbol #dale pic.twitter.com/kV52dDAFv0
— Osvaldo Alonso (@OzzieAlonso) January 8, 2024
Alonso then played his next three seasons with Minnesota United, where he continued to be reliable as ever in the middle of the park. In his first season with the Loons in 2019, he played a key role in the team’s fourth place finish in the Western Conference with 53 points — their highest-ever league finish to date.
With Alonso in the side, Minnesota reached MLS Cup playoffs three straight years from 2019 – 2021 as he managed 72 appearances while scoring three goals.
The next and final chapter of Alonso’s career came with Atlanta United in the Eastern Conference in December 2021. Alonso signed with the 2018 MLS Cup winners, hoping to make an impact in the midfield, but it wasn’t to be as he was dealt an ACL tear just four games into the 2022 campaign.
Alonso returned to first team action in June of last year following his recovery from knee surgery, as he made seven appearances off the bench for Atlanta, totaling just 91 minutes played in a difficult 2023 season. With the Five Stripes, he made 11 league appearances (four starts) over the last two seasons and was out of contract following Atlanta’s first round postseason exit to MLS Cup winners Columbus Crew in November.
Alonso might’ve liked to end his playing career in a different way, but he still leaves the playing field not only a Seattle legend — but an MLS legend — after his 349 league appearances while logging 28,333 minutes for three different clubs.
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