Ringo Cantillo
Encyclopedia
Julio “Ringo” Cantillo is a former Costa Rican-American soccer midfielder
. He played seven seasons in the American Soccer League
where he was the league MVP as a rookie. He won MVP honors a total of three times in the ASL. Cantillo also spent four seasons in the North American Soccer League
, one in the United Soccer League
and one in Major Indoor Soccer League
. Cantillo also earned eleven caps with the U.S. national soccer team
.
, began his professional soccer career with the Cincinnati Comets
of the American Soccer League
in 1972. Cantilla was only 17 years old, but quickly established himself as among the most talented players in the league when he won MVP honors as a rookie. The Comets also won the league championship that season. Cantillo earned MVP honors in 1974 and in 1975 was a first team All Star. At the end of the 1975 season, the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League
signed Cantillo from the Comets. He played a single season, twenty-one games total, with Tampa Bay before returning to the ASL, this time signing with the New Jersey Americans
. Cantillo was part of the ASL’s most exciting team as the Americans played a free flowing attacking game which took them to the 1977 championship. Cantillo was again the league MVP, his third in five years in the ASL, and a first team All Star. Cantillo jumped leagues again at the end of the 1977 season. He joined the New England Tea Men
of the NASL. He would remain with this team in its various incarnations until 1985, except for 1983 when he played for Team America
. The Tea Men spent the 1978-1980 seasons in New England before moving to Jacksonville, Florida
at the end of the 1980 season. Cantillo moved with the team and played the 1981 and 1982 seasons with Jacksonville. In the fall of 1982, he signed with the New York Arrows
of Major Indoor Soccer League
. He spent one season with the Arrows. In 1983, he signed with Team America
. That year, the U.S. Soccer Federation attempted to create a more successful U.S. national team
by entering the team into the NASL as a franchise. However, the team stumbled to a 10-20 record and the bottom of the league standings and USSF pulled the national team from the NASL at the end of the season. In 1984, Cantillo returned to the Tea Men who now played in the United Soccer League
. Cantillo and the Tea Men began the 1985 season with the USL, but the team and the league collapsed after only six games.
between 1979 and 1982. Ironically, although part of Team America in 1983 he was never called up for the U.S. games that year. Cantillo played his first game with the U.S. in its only 1979 match, a 3-1 win over Barbados. He played his last game on March 21, 1982 in a 2-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He played seven seasons in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
where he was the league MVP as a rookie. He won MVP honors a total of three times in the ASL. Cantillo also spent four seasons in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, one in the United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
and one in Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. Cantillo also earned eleven caps with the U.S. national soccer team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
.
Professional career
Cantillo, a native of Costa RicaCosta Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, began his professional soccer career with the Cincinnati Comets
Cincinnati Comets
The Cincinnati Comets was an American soccer club based in Cincinnati, Ohio that was a member of the American Soccer League.-Players: Nelson Brazilia Antion Cruz Ringo Cantillo Mullin Hall Schellas Hyndman Al Reynolds Eddy Roberts 12 Apps 12 Goals Roger Saint-Vil 8...
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
in 1972. Cantilla was only 17 years old, but quickly established himself as among the most talented players in the league when he won MVP honors as a rookie. The Comets also won the league championship that season. Cantillo earned MVP honors in 1974 and in 1975 was a first team All Star. At the end of the 1975 season, the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
signed Cantillo from the Comets. He played a single season, twenty-one games total, with Tampa Bay before returning to the ASL, this time signing with the New Jersey Americans
New Jersey Americans (soccer)
The New Jersey Americans was an American soccer club based in New Brunswick, New Jersey that was a member of the American Soccer League. The team won the ASL championship in 1977, in only its second year of existence....
. Cantillo was part of the ASL’s most exciting team as the Americans played a free flowing attacking game which took them to the 1977 championship. Cantillo was again the league MVP, his third in five years in the ASL, and a first team All Star. Cantillo jumped leagues again at the end of the 1977 season. He joined the New England Tea Men
New England Tea Men
The New England Tea Men were a soccer team based out of Foxboro, MA that played in the NASL from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was Schaefer Stadium....
of the NASL. He would remain with this team in its various incarnations until 1985, except for 1983 when he played for Team America
Team America (soccer)
Team America was a professional version of the United States men's national soccer team which played as a franchise in the defunct North American Soccer League during the 1983 season...
. The Tea Men spent the 1978-1980 seasons in New England before moving to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
at the end of the 1980 season. Cantillo moved with the team and played the 1981 and 1982 seasons with Jacksonville. In the fall of 1982, he signed with the New York Arrows
New York Arrows
The New York Arrows was an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.-Preparing for the first season:...
of Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. He spent one season with the Arrows. In 1983, he signed with Team America
Team America (soccer)
Team America was a professional version of the United States men's national soccer team which played as a franchise in the defunct North American Soccer League during the 1983 season...
. That year, the U.S. Soccer Federation attempted to create a more successful U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
by entering the team into the NASL as a franchise. However, the team stumbled to a 10-20 record and the bottom of the league standings and USSF pulled the national team from the NASL at the end of the season. In 1984, Cantillo returned to the Tea Men who now played in the United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
. Cantillo and the Tea Men began the 1985 season with the USL, but the team and the league collapsed after only six games.
National team
Cantillo earned eleven caps with the U.S. national soccer teamUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
between 1979 and 1982. Ironically, although part of Team America in 1983 he was never called up for the U.S. games that year. Cantillo played his first game with the U.S. in its only 1979 match, a 3-1 win over Barbados. He played his last game on March 21, 1982 in a 2-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago.