1990 to 2009, Alvarez worked as a referee for Cal North, a youth soccer organization in Northern California. Under Cal North, he served as the mentor of various American referees including Kari Seitz who has officiated matches in the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Olympics. He was also involved in the referee program of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) helping the association set up a referee exchange program with other national-level federations. For twelve years under the United States association, he served as member of the FIFA Referees Committee As a sports executive Alvarez also held executive positions not specific to refereeing. From 1978 to 1988, he was a Vice President of the Asian Football Federation. In the national-level, he held the post of General Secretary of the Philippine Football Federation in the 1960s and 1970s. Honors He received recognition for his contributions to association football. He was conferred with the FIFA Order of Merit in 2005 by then USSF President S. Robert Contiguglia with the Philippine Football Federation nominating him for the distinction. In 1973, FIFA conferred him a Special Referee Award in 1973, and was the only Asian referee to be given the distinction. The Asian Football Confederation has also given him the AFC Distinguished Service Award and the Philippine Football Federation awarded him a special award under the "International Achievements" category in 2004. Personal life Alvarez was married to María Lourdes Rotaeche. They got married on June 30, 1951 and had four children. In 1990, after most of their children have moved to San Francisco, the couple migrated to the United States to join their children in California. Alvarez died on February 16, 2013 shortly after the death of his wife in late 2012. References Filipino people of Spanish descent Philippines international footballers Filipino football referees American people of Spanish descent Filipino emigrants to the United States 1925 births 2013 deaths Sportspeople from Manila Soccer players from San Francisco San Beda University alumni United States Soccer Federation officials FIFA officials Asian Football Confederation executives Filipino footballers University of the East alumni United States Army personnel of World War II United States Merchant Mariners of World War II Association footballers not categorized by position