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PHILIPPINES
Biography current as of January 2024
Fernando Alvarez was born and grew up in the Philippines where he grew up participating in basketball, track and field, and football. Football was his favorite sport as a player, a coach, and later as a referee. He was to become Captain of the Philippine Youth National Football Team as
well as Captain of the Philippine National Football Team. Fernando was promoted in 1958 to FIFA International Referee and officiated 32 international football matches from 1959 until 1973 when he received the FIFA International Referee Special Award. He served the Asian Football Confederation in many capacities and was General secretary of the Philippine Football Federation from 1966-1984. Fernando even hosted a Sports Show on TV in the Philippines. In 2008 Fernando was inducted into the Philippine Football Federation Centennial Hall of Fame.
After retiring from FIFA referee duties, Fernando became involved in FIFA administration. He sat on the FIFA Referees Committee from 1980 until 1992 and was a member of the FIFA International Board and the FIFA Technical Committee. It was during this period that he introduced the substitution signa, still being used today whenever a player enters or leaves the field. He attended 7 World Cups and 5 Olympic Games as a FIFA representative.
His impact on soccer in Northern California began when he and his lovely wife, Lourdes, emigrated to San Francisco in 1990 to be near their children and families living in the Bay area. His son Inaki, who operated a local sports shop in SF, started a CYSA tournament which was to become the San Francisco Cup. Inaki Alvarez also became Commissioner of District 1 in 1994 before moving to Atlanta to work in the Olympic games.
What would become the San Francisco Cup started with 16 teams in 1988 and steadily grew in size. The quality of the tournament also grew with Fernando’s direction. I remember meeting frequently with Fernando at his home to organize the San Francisco Cup. His parlor was a veritable museum of mementos from his worldly travels as a FIFA referee. Together we planned tournament weekends that would begin with a referee symposium featuring speakers Fernando invited – various FIFA referees and instructors from around the world. Some of these seminars were also led by Esse Baharmast, Brian Hall, Kari Seitz, Sandra Hunt, and Bob Evans from the US. Fernando organized on-field training sessions that were open to any level of referee and tournament referees received assessment.
He made time for the San Francisco Cup amidst his duties as the referee assessor for Northern California. I recently spoke with Dave Jones who was the CNRA State referee administrator at that time. Dave told me that many FIFA referees that he had met exhibited an attitude, but not
Fernando. When Dave asked Fernando to become the State Director of referee assessment, he eagerly accepted and fulfilled this position for almost 20 years.
Fernando’s expertise to promote referee development was also extended at the national level. From 1994-2005, Fernando was traveling to meetings in Chicago as a member of the USSF Referees Committee. During this time he was also a national assessor and was essential in establishing referee exchanges with foreign federations. He was active in Futsal affairs also. Fernando’s persistence and influence was instrumental in getting US referee Esse Baharmast to the 1996 Olympics, and Esse later represented America at the 1998 World Cup in France.
Esse has spoken of Fernando: “Nobody back then thought that U.S. referees were on par with the rest of the world, but he had seen us work, and he knew that we could compete with the rest of the world. He put his own name and reputation on the line to give us the opportunity.”
Brian Hall wrote in a letter of recommendation: “During Mr Alvarez’s time working with Northern California referees, we were the recognized factory for FIFA referees in the United States: Kari Seitz (multiple World Cups and Olympics), Brian Hall (World Cup), Tim Weyland, Scott Weyland, Levon Baladjanian, and Chris Strickland. All of us were the result of Mr Alvarez’s leadership, work, and dedication. Mr Alvarez’s work
represented the renaissance of referee development in Northern California.”
“Mr. Alvarez was compassionate, caring, engaging, and professional.“
“Mr. Alvarez has not only taught me about the game but he has given a unique perspective on life. His love of the game and of refereeing is unsurpassed.”
In 1999, Fernando received the Eddie Pearson Memorial Award, for Outstanding Service to the Referee Programs of the United States of America and he entered into the USSF Hall of Fame.
In 2005 Fernando Alvarez received the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit, the highest award given by FIFA. It is given to individuals who have made major contributions to soccer. Other recipients include Beckenbauer, Pele, Havelange , Jules Rimet ("father" of the World Cup), Valderrama, Cruyff.
Fernando Alvarez passed away in February 2013, only weeks after the passing of his beloved wife.
