Yordany Álvarez

Acquired: Loaned to Orlando City by Real Salt Lake for 2014 USL PRO season as part of trade for fourth-round pick in 2017 SuperDraft that will make a full transfer effective for the 2015 season.

Retired from professional soccer due to medical reasons on Aug. 29, 2014.

Professional Career

2013: Set MLS career highs in games (18), starts (11), minutes (981) and playoff minutes (57) and scored his first MLS goal as part of Real Salt Lake's run to the Western Conference championship and a berth in the MLS Cup final … First career MLS goal was game-winner in 1-0 win at Toronto on June 29 … Real Salt Lake was 5-3-3 when he started … Suspended three games for challenge on Tim Cahill in 4-3 loss at New York on July 27 … Playoffs: Made first career playoff start and played 57 minutes in 1-0 first-leg loss at LA Galaxy on Nov. 3 … Open Cup: Appeared in three of five games during Real Salt Lake's run to the final of the US Open Cup … Started Real Salt Lake's first game, a 3-2 overtime win over the Atlanta Silverbacks on May 28 … Appeared as a substitute in quarterfinal win vs. Carolina RailHawks on June 26 and semifinal win vs. Portland on Aug. 7.

2012: Came to terms with Real Salt Lake on a three-year contract after expiration of loan agreement from USL PRO side Orlando City, keeping Alvarez in Claret-and-Cobalt through the end of the 2014 campaign … Acquired United States Green Card during the offseason, thus will no longer occupy one of the squad’s international slots … Appeared in 15 MLS games for RSL, starting five times in place of captain Kyle Beckerman … Emerged as a valuable late-game defensive sub, frequently entering late in games that RSL led to help clog the midfield and lock down the opposition

2011: Acquired for the remainder of the season by RSL on Sept. 15 via a loan deal with Orlando City on the MLS roster freeze deadline date … Stepped in to play five regular-season contests (four starts) – in place of captain Kyle Beckerman at the holding midfield spot … Also featured in the starting lineup in four appearances in MLS Reserve League play across Sept. and Oct. … Made his RSL debut six days after signing on Sept. 21 at New York, going the distance in a thorough 3-1 triumph at Red Bull Arena … Played 75 minutes off the bench on Sept. 28 vs. Chicago, filling in for an ejected Beckerman in RSL’s 3-0 home defeat … Also provided cover for the RSL captain during his three-game suspension, appearing Oct. 1 at LA (2-1 loss), Oct. 14 at Colorado (0-0 tie) and Oct. 22 vs. Portland (1-1 tie) … Political-asylum status prevented him from joining RSL north of the border for its Oct. 6 game at Vancouver … Playoffs: Made MLS Cup Playoffs debut on Nov. 2 at Seattle, his 76th-minute inclusion helping RSL hold down the fort at the end of a 2-0 loss in the second leg of the Western Conference semifinals, allowing RSL to advance over Seattle 3-2 on aggregate.

2011 – Orlando City (USL PRO): Moved with his former club (Austin Aztex) when the team was purchased by new owners and moved to Orlando, where they competed in the United Soccer Leagues Professional Division (USL PRO) for the 2011 season … Was named the USL PRO Most Valuable Player for his contributions in 2011, which included three goals in his 25 overall appearances (24 starts) between regular season, playoff and U.S. Open Cup play … Helped Orlando City to the league’s top regular-season record (15-3-6, 51 pts.) and the USL PRO title … After playing all 120 minutes of regulation and overtime of the USL PRO Championship on Sept. 3 vs. Harrisburg, converted Orlando City’s second penalty kick during their 3-2 shootout triumph at the Citrus Bowl to take the league title … Opened his 2011 goal-scoring account in a 3-0 victory on April 9 vs. FC New York … Scored what proved to be the decisive goal in a 2-1 win vs. Charleston on Aug. 6 … Open Cup: Scored a stoppage-time equalizer from distance on June 28 at FC Dallas in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup, only to see his squad allow another shortly after in a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat at Pizza Hut Park …

2009-10 – Austin Aztex (USL First Division): Made 41 appearances for the Aztex during the squad’s two seasons in Austin … After failing to latch on to an MLS club the previous season, attended open tryouts for the the Aztex in California in March 2009, impressing enough to earn a spot on the start-up USL First Division squad  … Started in all 14 of his appearances for Austin during his first season in the American soccer ranks, scoring three times in regular-season play before a foot injury cut his season short … Made his first appearance for the Aztex in the squad’s season opener on April 18, 2009 vs. Minnesota … Renewed his contract with the Aztex on January 21, 2010, signing a three-year deal … Was a stalwart for Austin in 2010, starting all 27 appearances and tallying a pair of goals … Trained with the Houston Dynamo after the 2010 USL season ended but did not sign with the club.

2006-08 – FC Cienfuegos (Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba): Began his professional career with a three-year stint with his hometown side, FC Cienfuegos.

International Career

From 2006-08, scored three goals for Cuba in eight contests between the U-23 and senior team levels … In March 2008, Alvarez and six fellow Cuban teammates defected to the United States while playing with the Cuban U-23 national team in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Tampa.