José Cardozo

José Cardozo
Cardozo in 2006
Personal information
Full name José Saturnino Cardozo Otazú
Date of birth (1971-03-19) 19 March 1971
Place of birth Nueva Italia, Paraguay
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Municipal Liberia (Manager)
Youth career
1986–1987 Unión Pacífico
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1990 River Plate Asunción 26 (10)
1990–1992 St. Gallen 31 (12)
1992–1993 Universidad Católica 35 (12)
1994–1995 Olimpia 41 (27)
1995–2005 Toluca 332 (249)
2001Cruz Azul (loan) 0 (0)
2005Pachuca (loan) 0 (0)
2005–2006 San Lorenzo 23 (5)
Total 488 (315)
International career
1992–1995 Paraguay U23 12 (7)
1991–2006 Paraguay 82 (25)
Managerial career
2006–2007 Olimpia
2009 Indios (assistant)
2009–2011 Olimpia
2011–2012 Querétaro
2012 Olimpia
2013 Sportivo Luqueño
2013–2016 Toluca
2016 Chiapas
2017 Puebla
2017 Veracruz
2018–2019 Guadalajara
2021–2022 Municipal
2022–2023 Municipal
2025– Municipal Liberia
Medal record
Representing  Paraguay
Men's Football
2004 AthensTeam Competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

José Saturnino Cardozo Otazú (locally [xoˈse satuɾˈnino kaɾˈðoso otaˈsu]; born 19 March 1971) is a Paraguayan football manager and former footballer who played as a striker.

Known for his prolific scoring ability, Cardozo spent most of his playing career with Deportivo Toluca, where he became the club's all-time leading scorer and won four league titles. He would go on to become the club's head coach from 2013 to 2016. Cardozo ranks as the fourth-highest scorer in the history of the Mexican football league.

On the international stage, Cardozo made 82 appearances for Paraguay over a fifteen-year period, scoring 25 goals to become the country's second-highest scorer. He represented the national team in three Copa América tournaments, two FIFA World Cups and the 2004 Summer Olympics, where he won a silver medal.

In the 2002/03 season, José Saturnino Cardozo was recognized as the World Top Scorer in the First Division according to the IFFHS. He scored 58 goals between the Apertura 2002 and Clausura 2003 playing for Deportivo Toluca F.C.