Former Houston Dynamo forward Arturo Alvarez announced his retirement from professional soccer on Friday via Twitter.
The 33-year-old Houston native signed with the Dynamo prior to the 2018 season and made 18 appearances in the regular season, tallying an assist. The homecoming was the final stop on a 16-year career that began as 17-year-old out of Mayde Creek High School in Katy.
Alvarez was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft and played two seasons there before being traded to FC Dallas in January 2005. He spent four seasons in Frisco, then was traded back to the newly-formed Earthquakes prior to the 2008 season. He spent a season with Real Salt Lake in 2011, then went to Europe and played for Paços de Ferreira (Portugal) and Videoton (Hungary) before a return to the States in 2016, finishing his career with the Chicago Fire and then the Dynamo.
The technical winger also earned 43 international caps with El Salvador, making his debut in 2009. He scored four goals for La Selecta, including one in 2014 at BBVA Compass Stadium in front of friends and family in Houston.
