At the end of the 2011 USL Pro season, Álvarez signed with Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake on a loan agreement.
[8] On 22 January 2014, it was announced that Álvarez was loaned back to Orlando City SC for the 2014 USL Pro season and the move would be made permanent in 2015 when the club began play in MLS.
[9] However on 29 August 2014, Álvarez was forced to retire after undergoing a series of tests for a medical condition he suffered during a match on 7 June against the Dayton Dutch Lions.
[11] Álvarez played for the Cuba U-20s at the 2004 Copa de las Antillas[12] and made his senior international debut for Cuba in a November 2006 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification match against Surinam in which he immediately scored two goals and has earned a total of 8 caps, scoring 3 goals.
His final international was a February 2008 friendly match against Guyana, a month prior to defecting to the United States.