Legendary MLS Midfielder Ozzie Alonso Announces Retirement From Soccer
Longtime defensive midfielder Ozzie Alonso has announced his retirement from professional soccer. Alonso had a career that spanned from 2005 in his home country of Cuba to 2023 where he finished his time in Atlanta. Between 2005 and the summer of 2007, Alonso played for FC Pinar del Rio, winning the league title in 2006. In the summer of 2007, Alonso defected to the United States where he opted to sign for the Charleston Battery in the then USL First Division. Alonso would play a total of 30 games for Charleston, scoring 6 goals and recording 2 assists. He would impress enough in the lower division of U.S. soccer and get an opportunity in MLS for the 2009 season.
Alonso would quickly become a starting defensive midfielder for the Seattle Sounders, cementing his legendary MLS status during his time there. Alonso would play for Seattle between the 2009 MLS season and the 2018 MLS season. In his 10 seasons playing for Seattle, Alonso would play in almost 28,700 minutes across 339 games. He would score 21 goals and finish with 14 assists. Alonso won the 2016 MLS Cup, four U.S. Open Cup titles, the 2014 Supporters’ Shield, a MLS Best XI title in 2012, and being named a MLS All Star four times. Ozzie Alonso will be forever known as a Seattle Sounder and one of the greatest players in the club’s long history.
Following the 2018 season, Alonso would become a free agent… being allowed to really join another MLS team for the first time in his career. Ozzie decided to join a newer club in the league, Minnesota United FC. Alonso would play three seasons in Minnesota from 2019 until 2021. He would play in 72 games for the Loons scoring 3 goals at that time. Following his time with Minnesota, Alonso joined Atlanta United FC where he had a mixed time. He tore a ligament during his time in Atlanta but in two seasons there he would finish with 14 games played between Atlanta United and Atlanta United 2.
Ozzie Alonso will forever be known as one of the most physical and play destroying midfielders in MLS history. If he was on your roster, you would love to have him. If you were playing against him, you were hating seeing him on your schedule. Ozzie Alonso easily goes down as one of the best players in CONCACAF history. It is just unfortunate that he wasn’t able to represent himself more at the international level. Thank you so much Ozzie for everything you’ve brought to MLS and U.S. soccer.
