Byron Alvarez
Encyclopedia
Byron Alvarez is a Mexican football (soccer)
forward
. He plays for the Monterrey La Raza of National Indoor Soccer League
. He was the 2008-2009 NISL Most Valuable Player.
, Jaiba Brava de Tamaulipas, Astros de Ciudad Juarez, and C.F. Tambico.
of Major League Soccer
. In 2003, he moved to the Portland Timbers
of the USL First Division
. On September 29, 2004, the Chicago Storm
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL) traded Kevin Sakuda
to the San Diego Sockers for the rights to Alvarez. On October 18, 2004, the Storm signed him on loan from the Timbers and he played the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 indoor seasons in Chicago. Following the 2006 USL-1 season, Alvarez became a free agent and on April 3, 2007 signed with the Charleston Battery
of USL-1. He played twenty-two games and scored eight goals. On July 9, 2007, the Monterrey La Raza of MISL selected Alvarez in the MISL expansion draft. The LaRaza went to the MISL championship series, but fell to the Baltimore Blast
. Following the end of the indoor season, he contacted Gavin Wilkinson
, coach of the Timbers, about the possibility of rejoining the Timbers. Alvarez signed with the Timbers on July 14, 2008. He played only nine games with the Timbers and returned to the LaRaza which was now playing in the newly created National Indoor Soccer League
. On April 7, 2009, he was announced as the 2008-08 NISL Most Valuable Player.
Alvarez has also played for the Mexican national futsal
team.
On October 25, 2010 The Missouri Comets
announced they had signed Byron Alvarez to play in their first season back in the MISL. Alvarez was vital to the Comets run to the MISL playoffs, leading the team and the league in scoring with 80 points. Alvarez also led the league in goals scored (33), hat tricks (5) and tied for the league-lead in game-winning goals with five. Alvarez scored at least one point in 17 games this season and he also posted the longest goal-scoring streak of the year (nine games) and point-scoring streak (15 games). He capped off this great season by being named 2010-2011 MISL MVP.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He plays for the Monterrey La Raza of National Indoor Soccer League
National Indoor Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League , formerly known as the National Indoor Soccer League, is an indoor soccer league which began play in 2008. It is the third league to be known as the Major Indoor Soccer League...
. He was the 2008-2009 NISL Most Valuable Player.
Early life
Alvarez began playing football at sixteen. He appeared with a string of minor league Mexican clubs including Reboceros de La PiedadReboceros De La Piedad
Club de Fútbol La Piedad is a Mexican football team who will be part of the inaugural year of the Liga de Ascenso. The club was founded on November 12, 1951...
, Jaiba Brava de Tamaulipas, Astros de Ciudad Juarez, and C.F. Tambico.
Club career
In 2002, he signed with the MetroStarsMetrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. In 2003, he moved to the Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers (USL)
Portland Timbers was an American professional soccer team based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 2001, the team played in various leagues at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, including the USL First Division and the USSF Division 2 Professional League, until the end of...
of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. On September 29, 2004, the Chicago Storm
Chicago Storm
The Chicago Storm is a team in the Ultimate Soccer League that began play in the 2004-2005 season as a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League.-History:The Storm played home games during its first two seasons at the UIC Pavilion on the west side of Chicago...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
(MISL) traded Kevin Sakuda
Kevin Sakuda
Kevin Sakuda is an American soccer player currently playing for Austin Aztex in the USSF Division 2 Professional League.-Youth and College:...
to the San Diego Sockers for the rights to Alvarez. On October 18, 2004, the Storm signed him on loan from the Timbers and he played the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 indoor seasons in Chicago. Following the 2006 USL-1 season, Alvarez became a free agent and on April 3, 2007 signed with the Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of USL-1. He played twenty-two games and scored eight goals. On July 9, 2007, the Monterrey La Raza of MISL selected Alvarez in the MISL expansion draft. The LaRaza went to the MISL championship series, but fell to the Baltimore Blast
Baltimore Blast (current)
Baltimore Blast is an American professional indoor soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Founded in 1992, the team plays in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
. Following the end of the indoor season, he contacted Gavin Wilkinson
Gavin Wilkinson
Gavin Wilkinson is a former New Zealand footballer and current technical director of Portland Timbers. Prior to this position, Wilkinson was manager of Portland Timbers in the United Soccer Leagues before their promotion to Major League Soccer beginning with the 2011 season...
, coach of the Timbers, about the possibility of rejoining the Timbers. Alvarez signed with the Timbers on July 14, 2008. He played only nine games with the Timbers and returned to the LaRaza which was now playing in the newly created National Indoor Soccer League
National Indoor Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League , formerly known as the National Indoor Soccer League, is an indoor soccer league which began play in 2008. It is the third league to be known as the Major Indoor Soccer League...
. On April 7, 2009, he was announced as the 2008-08 NISL Most Valuable Player.
Alvarez has also played for the Mexican national futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
team.
On October 25, 2010 The Missouri Comets
Missouri Comets
The Missouri Comets are an indoor soccer team based in Independence, Missouri, near Kansas City. They joined the new Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team in the 2010–2011 season. They play their home games at the Independence Events Center....
announced they had signed Byron Alvarez to play in their first season back in the MISL. Alvarez was vital to the Comets run to the MISL playoffs, leading the team and the league in scoring with 80 points. Alvarez also led the league in goals scored (33), hat tricks (5) and tied for the league-lead in game-winning goals with five. Alvarez scored at least one point in 17 games this season and he also posted the longest goal-scoring streak of the year (nine games) and point-scoring streak (15 games). He capped off this great season by being named 2010-2011 MISL MVP.