Arturo Álvarez (footballer, born 1985)

José Arturo Álvarez Hernández (born June 28, 1985) is a former professional footballer who played as a winger and forward.[1][2][3][4] Born in the United States, he played for the El Salvador national team.

Arturo Álvarez
Álvarez with Chicago Fire FC in 2017
Personal information
Full name José Arturo Álvarez Hernández
Date of birth (1985-06-28) June 28, 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Houston, Texas, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Winger, forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 San Jose Earthquakes 26 (2)
2005–2008 FC Dallas 88 (11)
2008–2010 San Jose Earthquakes 54 (11)
2011 Real Salt Lake 20 (0)
2012–2013 Paços de Ferreira 13 (3)
2013Videoton (loan) 11 (2)
2013–2015 Videoton 45 (6)
2016–2017 Chicago Fire 55 (8)
2018 Houston Dynamo 18 (0)
Total 330 (43)
International career
United States U17
United States U18
United States U20
United States U23
2009–2018 El Salvador 46 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 31, 2018 (UTC)

Career

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Professional

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Álvarez did not play college soccer; instead, he joined MLS in 2003, signing a Project-40 contract, and was selected thirteenth overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft by the San Jose Earthquakes. In his first year, Álvarez scored his first MLS goal on June 14, 2003, against FC Dallas but would go on to get limited playing time. However, in January 2005 Álvarez was traded by San Jose with Richard Mulrooney and the #6 and #29 picks in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft to FC Dallas in exchange for Brad Davis, cash, and the #4 pick in the 2005 SuperDraft.[5]

During the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, in the second leg of FC Dallas' Conference semifinal match with the Houston Dynamo, Álvarez was sent off for "violent conduct" after he kneed Brad Davis in the groin while out of bounds in the forty-seventh minute. Dallas went on to lose the tie 4–1, and the match 4–2 on aggregate.

 
Álvarez evades Tottenham's Gareth Bale in a July 2010 friendly in San Jose, California.

Álvarez was traded to the new San Jose Earthquakes in July 2008 for allocation money and their first round draft pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.[6] In his debut, he scored the first goal of the match against the Los Angeles Galaxy in a match that ended 3–2. On November 24, 2010, Álvarez was selected in the tenth round of the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft by Portland Timbers but was immediately traded to Real Salt Lake for a 2nd round 2011 MLS SuperDraft pick.

The Salvadoran American made his debut with Real Salt Lake on March 15, 2011, when he entered in the 88th minuteof the first leg of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals against Saprissa.

 
Álvarez (left) celebrating a goal playing with FC Dallas.

After the 2011 season, Real Salt Lake did not re-sign Álvarez. He opted to participate in the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft and was selected by Chivas USA on December 5, 2011.[7] However, he instead signed a two-year contract with Portuguese first division club Paços de Ferreira. On March 18, 2012, he scored his first goal with his new team against Académica[8]

On February 7, 2013, he was loaned to Hungarian club Videoton. He played well enough with the team that in June 2013 he signed a two-year contract to stay in Hungary. He was released in 2015.

On March 3, 2016, after a successful preseason trial with the club, Álvarez was signed by Chicago Fire to a one-year deal with one year option.[9]

On December 10, 2017, Álvarez was traded by Chicago to his home town club, the Houston Dynamo, in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.[10] Álvarez was mainly used as a sub and helped the Dynamo win the 2018 US Open Cup. He left the club again at the end of 2018.[11]

On March 1, 2019, Álvarez announced his retirement from playing professional soccer.[12]

International

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United States

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Álvarez represented the United States in various youth levels – U-17, U-18, and U-20. He also participated in various matches and training camps with the U-23 team.

El Salvador

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Though Álvarez played on various United States national squads at the youth level, he was never called up to the senior national team. Being of Salvadoran descent, Álvarez was invited to play for the El Salvador national team by coach Carlos de los Cobos.[13] On August 12, 2009, Álvarez made his debut for El Salvador in a World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago. On September 5, 2009, Álvarez started in a World Cup qualifier against his home country at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. El Salvador fell, 2–1. On September 9, 2009, Álvarez played his first home game in Estadio Cuscatlán, in San Salvador, El Salvador against Costa Rica. El Salvador was victorious 1–0.

Career statistics

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As of October 31, 2018[14][15]

Club

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Club Performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Club Season League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
United States League US Open Cup MLS Playoffs CONCACAF Total
San Jose Earthquakes 2003 MLS 15 1 0 0 0 0 15 1
2004 11 1 0 0 0 0 11 1
FC Dallas 2005 24 2 0 0 0 0 24 2
2006 19 3 0 0 0 0 19 3
2007 27 3 0 0 2 0 3[a] 3 32 6
2008 16 3 0 0 16 0
San Jose Earthquakes 2008 12 3 0 0 12 3
2009 23 5 0 0 23 5
2010 19 3 0 0 3 0 22 3
Real Salt Lake 2011 16 0 1 0 0 0 4[b] 0 21 0
Portugal League Taça de Portugal Taça da Liga UEFA Total
F.C. Paços de Ferreira 2011–12 Primeira Liga 9 2 0 0 1 0 10 2
2012–13 4 1 2 1 2 1 8 3
Hungary League Magyar Kupa Ligakupa UEFA Total
Videoton FC 2012–13 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 11 2 2 0 5 0 18 2
2013–14 22 4 1 0 9 3 1[c] 0 33 7
2014–15 23 2 3 1 3 2 29 5
United States League US Open Cup MLS Playoffs CONCACAF Total
Chicago Fire 2016 MLS 30 5 3 0 33 5
2017 25 3 2 0 1 0 28 3
Houston Dynamo 2018 18 0 2 0 20 0
Total 324 43 16 2 26 6 8 3 374 54
  1. ^ Appearances in North American SuperLiga
  2. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League
  3. ^ Appearances in Europa League

International goals

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# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competitions
1 June 12, 2011 Soldier Field, Chicago, United States   Cuba
5 – 1
6 – 1
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2 June 4, 2014 Toyota Stadium, Dallas, Texas, United States   Ivory Coast
1 – 2
1 – 2
Friendly
3 September 10, 2014 BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, US   Belize
2 – 0
2 – 0
2014 Copa Centroamericana
4 June 16, 2015 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador   Saint Kitts and Nevis
3 – 0
4 – 1
2018 FIFA World Cup Q

Honors

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San Jose Earthquakes

Videoton

Houston Dynamo

References

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  1. ^ "Deportes". Edhdeportes.com. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "Chicago Fire del salvadoreño Arturo Álvarez enciende la MLS". Elgrafico.com. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  3. ^ "Cerca el debut de Arturo Álvarez y Darwin Cerén - elsalvador.com". Elsalvador.com. March 2, 2018. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  4. ^ "El Dynamo de Darwin Cerén y Arturo Álvarez dejó escapar el triunfo en MLS de Estados Unidos". Laprensagrafica.com. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  5. ^ "FC Dallas Acquires Richard Mulrooney, Arturo Alvarez, Picks from San Jose – OurSports Central". January 14, 2005.
  6. ^ "FC Dallas trades Arturo Alvarez to San Jose for 2009 Superdraft first round pick | go.dallasnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth". Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  7. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "Paços de Ferreira, destino de Álvarez | El Salvador Fútbol Club | elsalvadorFC.com". Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  9. ^ "Chicago Fire Sign Midfielder Arturo Alvarez". chicago-fire.com. March 3, 2016.
  10. ^ "Houston Dynamo acquire midfielder Arturo Álvarez from Chicago Fire". houstondynamo.com. December 20, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2017.
  11. ^ Arturo Álvarez, entre los agentes libres de la MLS en el 2019, us.as.com, December 31, 2018
  12. ^ "Arturo Alvarez announces retirement from professional soccer | Houston Dynamo FC". Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  13. ^ American playing for El Salvador in Cup qualifier, ESPN, September 3, 2009, archived from the original on October 19, 2012, retrieved September 5, 2009
  14. ^ "Arturo Álvarez". houstondynamo.com. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  15. ^ "A. ÁLVAREZ". soccerway.com. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
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