At the age of just 25 Inter Miami right-back Alvas Powell has experience beyond his years, having already enjoyed considerable success at both club level and the international stage. Selected by the Club in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft, the Jamaica international can prove to be an asset on the right side of our defensive line as he brings valuable experience alongside pace, physicality and intelligence that allow him to continuously get up and down the field at the right moments.
The St. Thomas, Jamaica native impressed in his homeland from the beginning of his career, getting called up to the U-17 national team in the early stages of 2011. Powell appeared in four of the team’s World Cup qualifying matches, helping them successfully qualify for the competition; he was then selected to be a member of the Jamaica side that participated in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Subsequently, in 2012 Powell made several appearances for the U-20 team and made his debut for Jamaica’s senior side at the age of just 18 years, 4 months and 22 days against Martinique in the 2012 Caribbean Cup.
Meanwhile, at the club level, Powell made his professional debut for Portmore United F.C. of the Jamaican first division in 2012 before taking on his first challenge playing outside his home country in the summer of 2013 when he joined the Portland Timbers on a loan until December 2014. The then 18-year-old defender seized the opportunity, playing a combined 20 MLS regular season matches throughout the 2013 and 2014 seasons while scoring two goals and providing two assists, earning him a permanent transfer to the Timbers ahead of the 2015 season.
The 2014 season was a memorable one for our right-back on the international stage as well, as he was a key figure in Jamaica’s 2014 Caribbean Cup winning team. In the competition, Powell started in Jamaica’s four matches as they conquered their sixth Caribbean Cup title.
In 2015, he continued to grow as a player, establishing himself as an important member of the Timbers side that won the MLS Cup. In total, during the 2015 MLS season, Powell played 31 regular season games and six playoff games, being selected to the starting XI in all of them, while recording one assist.
Over the next three seasons, the Jamaican defender carried on as a fundamental piece for the Portland-based club, amassing 70 regular season and five playoff appearances throughout the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons while registering four goals and seven assists before joining MLS expansion team F.C. Cincinnati prior to the 2019 season.
During his years as a Timbers and F.C. Cincinnati player, Powell continued to star for Jamaica’s national team. Overall, he’s represented his country in three Gold Cups (2015, 2017 and 2019), claiming a pivotal role in the backline of the famous Reggae Boyz side that reached the final of the 2017 edition, as well as World Cup qualifying matches, Concacaf Nations League matchups and international friendlies; racking up 49 appearances while scoring two goals and dishing out one assist.
Following the 2019 MLS season in which he made 13 regular season appearances for F.C. Cincinnati, Powell joined Inter Miami; he was the second player selected by the Club in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft. In total, prior to becoming an Inter Miami player, the defender made 135 MLS regular season appearances while providing his previous teams with a boost with his goal involvement, scoring six goals and distributing six assists.
Donning Inter Miami’s colors, the Jamaican right-back has played 90 minutes, starting and playing the entirety of the match against LAFC on March 1, 2020, in our historic first MLS match.
At 25 years old, Powell has experience beyond his years and fans can expect much more from him in the future. Now, under the management of an ambitious Head Coach like Diego Alonso and alongside a group of teammates determined to make history with Inter Miami, he’ll seek to continue to add victories and titles to his already successful career.
