Reinier Alcántara
Encyclopedia
Reinier Alcántara is a Cuba
n soccer player who currently plays for Miami FC
in the USL First Division
.
at age of 15 and played with the team until the time of his defection to the United States. Has won Cuban league MVP award in 2006 and 2007, although this has not earned him much reward in his home nation because Cuban players are not permitted to sign professional contracts.
Alcántara defected from Cuba to the United States in 2008 in the hope of a securing professional career. Following his defection he trialed with several Major League Soccer
clubs, including Chivas USA who filed a discovery claim on him following the 2008 season
, which means that whomever the MLS awards the claim will have first rights to sign him to a professional contract.
Having not been offered an MLS contract, Alcántara joined Miami FC
of the USL First Division
. for the 2009 season.
in a 2005 Gold Cup
qualification match against Haiti
. During the 2007 Gold Cup
on 8 June 2007 at Giants Stadium
he scored the first goal of the match against Mexico
. Alcántara has been capped 18 times for the national team, but he is not expected to make any more appearances for the national team since his defection to the United States
.
to the United States
when he disappeared from his hotel outside of Washington, D.C.
before a CONCACAF 3rd round
World Cup qualifier
against the United States
on 11 October 2008.
Alcántara planned his defection before he even left Cuba. He fled from the Cuban team's coaches and security at his hotel before the match. He eventually met up with a friend who drove him to Atlanta, Georgia
, where he began his legal defection to the United States.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n soccer player who currently plays for Miami FC
Miami FC
Fort Lauderdale Strikers is an American professional association football team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in 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....
.
Club
Alcántara made his debut with FC Pinar del RíoFC Pinar del Río
FC Pinar del Río is a Cuban football club based in Pinar del Río, which currently play Cuban first division.-Achievements:*Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba: 7-Performance in CONCACAF competitions:*CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2 appearances...
at age of 15 and played with the team until the time of his defection to the United States. Has won Cuban league MVP award in 2006 and 2007, although this has not earned him much reward in his home nation because Cuban players are not permitted to sign professional contracts.
Alcántara defected from Cuba to the United States in 2008 in the hope of a securing professional career. Following his defection he trialed with several 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...
clubs, including Chivas USA who filed a discovery claim on him following the 2008 season
2008 Major League Soccer season
The 2008 Major League Soccer season was the 13th season in league history. The season began on March 29 and ended with MLS Cup 2008, on November 23 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.-Changes from the 2007 season:...
, which means that whomever the MLS awards the claim will have first rights to sign him to a professional contract.
Having not been offered an MLS contract, Alcántara joined Miami FC
Miami FC
Fort Lauderdale Strikers is an American professional association football team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
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....
. for the 2009 season.
International
Alcántara was a member of Cuba's under 17 and 23 teams and in 2005 made his debut for the senior Cuban National TeamCuba national football team
The Cuba national football team is the national team of Cuba and is controlled by the Asociación de Fútbol de Cuba. They are affiliated to the Caribbean Football Union of CONCACAF....
in a 2005 Gold Cup
2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the eighth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested in the United States in July 2005. The United States emerged victorious in the final against an upstart Panama team led by tournament...
qualification match against Haiti
Haiti national football team
The Haiti national football team represents Haiti in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football, the governing body for football in Haiti. Haiti's home ground is Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince and their head coach is Edson Tavares...
. During the 2007 Gold Cup
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...
on 8 June 2007 at Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
he scored the first goal of the match against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
. Alcántara has been capped 18 times for the national team, but he is not expected to make any more appearances for the national team since his defection to the United States
Wet feet, dry feet policy
The wet foot, dry foot policy is the name given to a consequence of the 1995 revision of the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 that says, essentially, that anyone who fled Cuba and got into the United States would be allowed to pursue residency a year later...
.
Defection to the United States
Alcántara defectedDefection
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.This term is also applied,...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when he disappeared from his hotel outside of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
before a CONCACAF 3rd round
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - CONCACAF Third Round
This page provides the summaries of the CONCACAF Third Round matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. The 12 winners from the Second Round contested this round. The draw took place on 25 November 2007 in Durban, South Africa.- Format :...
World Cup qualifier
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
against the United States
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...
on 11 October 2008.
Alcántara planned his defection before he even left Cuba. He fled from the Cuban team's coaches and security at his hotel before the match. He eventually met up with a friend who drove him to Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, where he began his legal defection to the United States.