Cuban U23 international Yordany Alvarez is happy he made the defection to the USA.

The 24-year old left his homeland to play football in America and has not looked back.

Currently playing with USL first division club Austin Aztex, Alvarez left his team hotel in March 2008 (after the Cuban U23 team played the US in Tampa) and headed to Los Angeles for trials with MLS clubs.

"The game started at 8 (p.m.), we got back to the hotel at 11 p.m.," Alvarez recalled of the day he decided to make his move.

"We went to the restaurant and decided that was the moment to leave, so we went out the back door.

"I had reached the top level in Cuba.

"So I talked to two other players about leaving and decided it would be better to leave."

Now he has found himself in the lower tiers of US football, with the assistance of Aztex head coach Adrian Heath.

"The first thing I noticed was how confident on the ball he was," said Heath, a former midfield stalwart for England's Everton Football Club.

"He had a lovely first touch. He was on a different wavelength from his teammates."

Recently, Alvarez has been out of action with an ankle injury but now Heath is happy to have him back in action and believes bigger things are in store.

"We can see what we've missed with him being out," Heath said.

"I've said it before, but he has the ability to go to the very top level. He could play in the MLS tomorrow, not a problem."