Ringo Cantillo 1976; 1975 (id)

Julio “Ringo” Cantillo was born May 21st, 1956 in Costa Rica. He began his professional soccer career with the Cincinnati Comets of the American Soccer League in 1972. Ringo was only 17 years old, but quickly established himself as among the most talented players in the league when he won MVP honors as a rookie. The Comets also won the the league championship that season. He earned MVP honors in 1974 and in 1975 was a first team All Star. At the end of the 1975 season, the Rowdies signed him from the Comets. He played a single season 1976, twenty-one games in total, with Tampa Bay before returning to the ASL, this time signing with the New Jersey Americans.

Ringo was part of the ASL’s most exciting team as the Americans played a free flowing attacking game which took them to the 1977 championship. He was again the league MVP, his third in five years in the ASL, and a first team All Star.

Ringo jumped leagues again at the end of the 1977 season. He joined the New England Tea Men. 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. He moved with the team and played the 1981 and 1982 seasons with Jacksonville. In 1983, he signed with Team America. 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. He returned to the Tea Men for the 1984 season, but the team had left the NASL at the end of the 1982 season to join the United Soccer League. Ringo and the Tea Men began the 1985 season with the USL, but the team and the league collapsed after only six games.

He also played one season in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

Ringo earned eleven caps with the U.S. national soccer team between 1979 and 1982. Ironically, although part of Team America in 1983 he was never called up for the U.S. games that year. he played his first game with the U.S. in its only 1979 match, a 3-1 win over Barbados. He played his last game on March 21st, 1982 in a 2-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago.

Today, Ringo is living in Jacksonville, Florida.