Few players in Charleston Battery history had a season like Osvaldo “Ozzie” Alonso did in 2008. The former Cuban international burst onto the scene after joining the Battery following his defection from Cuba. Ozzie won the USL First Division Rookie of the Year and was named to the league’s first-team best XI, along with earning team MVP honors, as he helped power the club to the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
Alonso then made the move to MLS the next season, where he’s commanded the midfield for over a decade. He won six trophies with Seattle Sounders FC, plus was named to several MLS All-Star Games, before playing for Minnesota United FC and his current club, Atlanta United FC.
Ozzie’s incredible career helped pave the way for future ex-Cuban internationals to follow the same path as him in the United States. Many of these players would also make careers for themselves with the Battery.
As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, we caught up with Ozzie to discuss that 2008 season, how it became a turning point for him, some fond memories in Charleston and what it means for him to see the lineage of Cuban players at the Battery continue.
Tell us about that 2008 season, how do you think it influenced the trajectory of your career?
I think for me, 2008 in Charleston was like everything because I was at the beginning, here in the United States to play soccer, to go to a new country. Being there and playing professionally, I think Charleston, for me, was unbelievable and was the bridge to a lot of opportunities for me to grow as a player and a person. I met a lot of people who helped me grow at the start of my professional career in America.
It was a great year for me, to get to the Open Cup final in my first year here. I think that the 2008 run made me get to the MLS faster than anything else because we were playing against a lot of MLS teams. We beat Houston, we beat Dallas, we got to the final, and people saw the Charleston Battery play in the final.
What was so special about that 2008 squad?
It was unbelievable. The tournament was a good opportunity for many players to show that we could perform at the same level as MLS and we took the tournament very seriously. We had a mix of younger players and older players, and there was a real connection between us. Then, we made it to the Open Cup final.
I was very excited and very happy to be part of that team and that moment. It was a dream come true for our team. We had a lot of good players, we were a good group. I think everybody was like a family.
How was the transition from Cuba to the United States for you, at first?
For us, being a Cuban soccer player is more difficult than being from another country because nobody thinks we can play soccer, everybody thinks we just play baseball. Coming here was a challenge because not many Cubans were playing in the United States. It was also hard in the beginning because people would look at you and think ‘ah, this guy can’t play soccer because he’s Cuban.’ But, little by little – with coaching, training hard, giving my best and everything I had – people realized we can play soccer and that’s why I do what I do.
What does it mean to you to see the Cuban players who have followed your footsteps and played with Charleston?
I’m very proud to be an example for them. That they play and want to follow my career makes me feel proud. A lot of people don’t understand that there’s no real professional soccer in Cuba. You have to defect from the national team when you have the chance to come here. So, seeing them come here and try to follow my path, for me, is unbelievable. I’ve had chances to talk with some of those guys, and they told me that, and I feel like I did something good.
How meaningful is it to see that lineage continue on with Geobel Perez Jr. in Charleston?
Every time I see a Cuban player wearing the black and yellow jersey, I think, ‘wow,’ because it’s a memory for me. Whenever I see a Cuban player going there for the Battery, I’m very thankful for the club to give them an opportunity.
Geobel is doing fantastic there, he’s got the potential to be a great player. I saw him last year in Miami and when he first told me he signed with Charleston, I told him it was a great opportunity for him. The only advice I could give him was to work hard, work double, because you have to be better than anyone else and have to give everything you have if you want to go to the next level.
Off the pitch, how did the city help you grow as a person?
When I got to Charleston, I was maybe a few months in the country, so it was very new to me, the language and the culture. I was young back in the day but Charleston helped me with a lot of things that I didn’t know about, it was like school for me. I came from Cuba, got to Charleston and I didn’t speak a word of English. But when I got there, a lot of people helped me with everything and made me feel at home. I’m always thankful to the city for so many things; my soccer career, my personal life, my everything.
What would be the biggest takeaway from your season in Charleston that’s helped you to have such an incredible career?
First, I am thankful for the opportunity that they gave me to play professionally. I went to the Open Cup final, we made league playoffs, I won Rookie of the Year and made best XI for the league. So, I think all that gave me the foundation to make the next step in MLS, and that’s why Seattle came to me and I went there. That was the chance I wanted to take, playing in MLS, and Charleston opened the door for me to do that. I’m very happy and very proud to have played in Charleston, for them to give me an opportunity to move to MLS.
Any message to Battery fans, who still follow your career closely?
I want to tell them, thank you for everything, for the continued support that they give. My only regret that I have in Charleston was not winning the Open Cup, but I always gave my best for the team. Thank you for the love, I have Charleston in my heart always when I go anywhere, whether in the MLS or wherever. I’ll always have a place in my heart for Charleston, and I’m thankful they still support me down there.
