| Juan Carlos Álvarez | |
| Fullname: | Juan Carlos Álvarez Cárdenas |
| Birth Date: | 14 February 1966 |
| Birth Place: | Medellín, Colombia |
| Currentclub: | Boyacá Chicó (manager) |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Youthyears1: | 1983–1986 |
| Youthclubs1: | Atlético Nacional |
| Youthyears2: | 1987 |
| Youthclubs2: | Independiente Medellín |
| Years1: | 1988–1989 |
| Clubs1: | Cúcuta Deportivo |
| Years2: | 1991–1993 |
| Clubs2: | Deportivo Rionegro |
| Years3: | 1994–1996 |
| Years4: | 1997 |
| Clubs4: | Deportes Quindío |
| Years5: | 1998 |
| Clubs5: | Atlético Bucaramanga |
| Years6: | 1999 |
| Clubs6: | Cúcuta Deportivo |
| Manageryears1: | 2002–2003 |
| Managerclubs1: | Florida Soccer (youth) |
| Manageryears2: | 2004–2005 |
| Managerclubs2: | (assistant) |
| Manageryears3: | 2006–2008 |
| Managerclubs3: | Deportivo Rionegro (assistant) |
| Manageryears4: | 2009–2013 |
| Managerclubs4: | Envigado (assistant) |
| Manageryears5: | 2013–2014 |
| Managerclubs5: | Independiente Medellín (assistant) |
| Manageryears6: | 2016–2018 |
| Managerclubs6: | Leones |
| Manageryears7: | 2019 |
| Managerclubs7: | Unión Magdalena (assistant) |
| Manageryears8: | 2024 |
| Managerclubs8: | Boyacá Chicó (assistant) |
| Manageryears9: | 2024– |
| Managerclubs9: | Boyacá Chicó |
Juan Carlos Álvarez Cárdenas (born 14 February 1966) is a Colombian football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is the current manager of Boyacá Chicó.
Born in Medellín, Álvarez represented Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín as a youth, but made his senior debut with Cúcuta Deportivo in 1988. After his contract ended in 1989, he worked at the before returning to football in 1991 with Deportivo Rionegro.[1]
Álvarez subsequently played for, Deportes Quindío and Atlético Bucaramanga before retiring with Cúcuta in 1999.[1]
After retiring, Álvarez studied in the Cooperative University of Colombia before joining Florida Soccer as a manager of the under-15 squad. In 2004, he became the assistant of Carlos Pachamé at Antioquia, before joining 's staff at Rionegro under the same role in 2006.[2]
Álvarez followed Aristizábal's staff to Envigado in 2009, also as an assistant.[2] In the following year, he remained at the club despite the managerial change with Pedro Sarmiento, and subsequently followed him to Independiente Medellín.[2]
In December 2015, after spending the previous year travelling in Spain, Álvarez became the manager of Categoría Primera B side Leones.[3] He led the club to a first-ever promotion to the top tier in 2017,[4]
Álvarez left Leones by mutual consent on 24 August 2018, with the club sitting bottom of the table.[5] In the following year, he rejoined Sarmiento's staff at Unión Magdalena, returning to an assistant role.
In March 2022, Álvarez was appointed manager of the Antioquia regional team.[6] He was also an assistant of Jhon Jaime Gómez at Boyacá Chicó in 2024, before becoming manager of the club on 27 October of that year.[7]