Álvaro Morata
 Morata training with Real Madrid in Los Angeles |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Álvaro Borja Morata Martín | ||
| Date of birth | 23 October 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Real Madrid B | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2007 | Atlético Madrid | ||
| 2007–2008 | Getafe | ||
| 2008–2010 | Real Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2010– | Real Madrid B | 63 | (31) |
| 2010– | Real Madrid | 2 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2009 | Spain U17 | 6 | (2) |
| 2010 | Spain U18 | 2 | (3) |
| 2010–2011 | Spain U19 | 13 | (11) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Álvaro Borja Morata Martín (born 23 October 1992 in Madrid) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Madrid Castilla as a striker.
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[edit] Club career
Morata signed for local and national giants Real Madrid in 2008 from neighbouring Getafe CF, finishing his formation two years later, but starting appearing for Real Madrid C still as a junior.[1] In July 2010, after a successful season with the Juvenil A where he won two youth titles and scored 34 goals,[2] he was promoted to the B team. Later that month, first team coach José Mourinho took the player alongside four teammates to a preseason tour in United States.[3]
On 15 August 2010, Morata made his debut with Castilla in a friendly match with AD Alcorcón, scoring the only goal of the game.[4] His third division debut came on the 29th in a 3–2 win against Coruxo FC,[5] and he scored his first official goal in a 1–1 draw against RSD Alcalá, on 31 October.
On 12 December 2010, Morata made his debut for the Real Madrid first team, when he was brought on as a substitute for Ángel di María in the 88th minute of a 3–1 win at Real Zaragoza.[6] Ten days later, he made his debut in the Spanish Cup, also coming from the bench in the last minutes. In January 2011, after Gonzalo Higuaín's injury, Spanish media appointed him to be his replacement in the main squad. However, Mourinho discarded this option saying that "he's not prepared to be in the starting lineup of Real Madrid. He needs to grow up and finish his formation with Castilla".[7] In this period of time, Morata scored five goals in four matches with the reserves,[8] while Emmanuel Adebayor was being signed to fit the missing striker in the first team.
On 13 February 2011, Morata scored the first hat-trick of his career, in a 7–1 victory against Deportivo de La Coruña B.[9] He finished his first season as a senior with 14 league goals (squad best alongside Joselu), but Castilla failed to promote in the playoffs.
[edit] International career
Morata was called by the Spanish under-17 team for the 2009 FIFA World Cup in Nigeria, playing four matches and scoring two goals for the third-placed team.[10] Subsequently, he represented the under-19s at the Japan International Tournament,[11] helping the national team finish second after the hosts.[12]
Morata was selected by Spain to the squad that appeared in the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship in Romania, helping the national team win the tournament with six goals, the highest in the competition.[13]
[edit] Playing style
Good in the air and at holding up the ball, with clinical finishing ability and excellent movement, Morata drew comparisons to legendary Spaniard and former Real Madrid talisman Fernando Morientes due to his style.[14]
[edit] Club statistics
- As of 27 May 2012.
| Club | Season | League1 | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Real Madrid Castilla | 2010–11 | 28 | 15 | — | — | 28 | 15 | ||
| 2011–12 | 35 | 16 | — | — | 35 | 16 | |||
| Total | 63 | 31 | — | — | 63 | 31 | |||
| Real Madrid | 2010–11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Career totals | 65 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 31 | |
- 1Includes two matches in the 2010–11 Segunda División B Play-Off.
[edit] Honours
[edit] Club
- Real Madrid
[edit] Country
- Spain U19
- Spain U17
- FIFA U-17 World Cup: Third place 2009
[edit] Individual
- UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship: Top scorer 2011
[edit] References
- ^ Un año inolvidable para Morata (An unforgettable year for Morata); Real Madrid's website, 7 December 2009 (Spanish)
- ^ Una generación para la historia (A generation to make history); Marca, 26 June 2010 (Spanish)
- ^ At the gates of the first team; Real Madrid's website, 30 July 2010
- ^ El Alcorcón cae ante un buen Real Madrid Castilla (Alcorcón loses against a good Real Madrid Castilla); Marca, 15 August 2010 (Spanish)
- ^ 3–2: Primeros tres puntos para el Castilla (3–2: First three points for Castilla); Real Madrid's website, 29 August 2010 (Spanish)
- ^ Madrid claim Zaragoza triumph; ESPN Soccernet, 12 December 2010
- ^ "No tengo esperanzas de que se fiche un delantero" ("I have no hopes about signing a new striker"); Diario AS, 15 January 2011 (Spanish)
- ^ Especial Real Madrid: Estas son las joyas de La Fábrica que persigue la Premier (Real Madrid special: These are the jewels of "La Fábrica" chased by the Premier League); Goal.com, 5 February 2011 (Spanish)
- ^ Morata hace un 'hat trick' en el 7-1 del Castilla (Morata does a hat trick in Castilla's 7-1); Marca, 13 February 2011 (Spanish)
- ^ Álvaro Morata – FIFA competition record
- ^ Convocatoria Torneo Internacional de Japón Sub-19 (Japan U19 International Tournament callup); Royal Spanish Football Federation, 7 August 2010 (Spanish)
- ^ La Sub-19 gana y se adjudica el segundo puesto (U19 win and finish second); Royal Spanish Football Federation, 24 August 2010 (Spanish)
- ^ Spain's Morata takes U19 scoring plaudits UEFA.com, 1 August 2011
- ^ Morata, el recogepelotas atlético que admiraba a Raúl (Morata, the ball boy who admired Raúl); El País, 13 December 2010 (Spanish)
[edit] External links
- Real Madrid official profile (Spanish)
- BDFutbol profile
- Futbolme profile (Spanish)
- Álvaro Morata – FIFA competition record
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