Óscar Cardozo
A Paraguayan striker nicknamed 'Tacuara' whose towering frame and lethal left foot made him a feared and prolific goal scorer for club and country.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Paraguayan footballer·Birthday: May 20·Millennials
Biography
Óscar Cardozo, known as 'Tacuara' (the Guaraní word for bamboo), stood out on the pitch not just for his 6'4" frame, but for the thunderous force he could generate with his left foot. The Paraguayan striker built a career on being a pure, uncomplicated finisher. His breakthrough at Newell's Old Boys in Argentina signaled a talent built for the penalty area, but it was in Portugal with Benfica that he became a legend. For eight seasons, he was a goal-scoring machine, his powerful free-kicks and clinical penalties breaking records and hearts. He formed a deadly partnership with Pablo Aimar and Javier Saviola, leading Benfica to multiple league titles and deep European runs. For the Paraguayan national team, his goals were vital in their memorable run to the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals. Cardozo's game was one of elegant brutality, a reminder that in football, force applied with precision is an art form.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Óscar was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Óscar Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Óscar's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became Benfica's all-time top foreign scorer, netting over 170 goals across all competitions during his tenure.
- Won three Primeira Liga titles with Benfica, in 2010, 2014, and 2015.
- Finished as the UEFA Europa League's top scorer in the 2012-13 season with 7 goals.
- Scored 12 goals in Paraguay's successful qualification campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Tacuara' was given to him by a journalist in Argentina due to his tall, slender build.
He is known for his exceptionally powerful and accurate penalty kicks, which became a signature weapon.
He played alongside his brother, Diego Cardozo, for a season at Club Nacional in Paraguay.
“My left foot is a weapon, and my height is an advantage in the box.”
