Career
He played seven seasons in the American Soccer League where he was the league Most Valuable Player as a rookie. Cantillo also spent four seasons in the North American Soccer League, one in the United Soccer League and one in Major Indoor Soccer League. Cantillo also earned eleven caps with the United States. national soccer team
Cantillo, a native of Costa Rica, began his professional soccer career with the Cincinnati Comets of the American Soccer League in 1972.
Cantillo earned Most Valuable Player honors in 1974 and in 1975 was a first team All Star. At the end of the 1975 season, the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League signed Cantillo from the Comets.
He played a single season, twenty-one games total, with Tampa Bay before returning to the Advanced Systems Limited, this time signing with the New Jersey Americans. Cantillo was part of the Advanced Systems Limited’s most exciting team as the Americans played a free flowing attacking game which took them to the 1977 championship.
Cantillo was again the league Most Valuable Player, his third in five years in the Advanced Systems Limited, and a first team All Star.
Cantillo jumped leagues again at the end of the 1977 season. He joined the New England Tea Men of the NASL. He would remain with this team in its various incarnations until 1985, except for 1983 when he played for Team America. The Tea Men spent the 1978-1980 seasons in New England before moving to Jacksonville, Florida at the end of the 1980 season.
Cantillo moved with the team and played the 1981 and 1982 seasons with Jacksonville.
In the fall of 1982, he signed with the New York Arrows of Major Indoor Soccer League. He spent one season with the Arrows.
In 1983, he signed with Team America. That year, the United States. Soccer Federation attempted to create a more successful United States. national team by entering the team into the NASL as a franchise.
However, the team stumbled to a 10-20 record and the bottom of the league standings and USSF pulled the national team from the NASL at the end of the season.
In 1984, Cantillo returned to the Tea Men who now played in the United Soccer League. Cantillo and the Tea Men began the 1985 season with the USL, but the team and the league collapsed after only six games. Cantillo earned eleven caps with the United States. national soccer team between 1979 and 1982.
Ironically, although part of Team America in 1983 he was never called up for the United States. games that year.
