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Álvaro Morata

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Álvaro Morata
Morata training with Real Madrid
Personal information
Full name Álvaro Borja Morata Martín
Date of birth (1992-10-23) 23 October 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Real Madrid
Number 21
Youth career
2005–2007 Atlético Madrid
2007–2008 Getafe
2008–2010 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Real Madrid B 83 (45)
2011– Real Madrid 37 (10)
International career‡
2009 Spain U17 6 (2)
2010 Spain U18 2 (3)
2010–2012 Spain U19 13 (11)
2013– Spain U21 12 (13)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:02, 17 May 2014 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 March 2014

Template:Spanish name Álvaro Borja Morata Martín (born 23 October 1992) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Juventus as a striker.

Club career

Born in Madrid, Morata signed for 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 Real Madrid Castilla; 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 netted 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 first team, when he was brought on as a substitute for Ángel di María in the 88th minute of a 3–1 La Liga win at Real Zaragoza.[6] Ten days later, he made his debut in the Copa del Rey, 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 gain promotion in the playoffs.

Morata scored his first official goal with Real's main squad on 11 November 2012, entering the field in the 83rd minute of an away fixture against Levante UD and netting the 2–1 winner after just 60 seconds.[10] In his first-ever official start, at home against Rayo Vallecano on 17 February of the following year, he scored the opener after just three minutes, but was removed from the pitch before the half-hour mark to make room for Raúl Albiol after Sergio Ramos was sent off (2–0 home success).[11] On 2 March 2013, Morata played the full 90 minutes in El Clásico against FC Barcelona, providing the assist as Karim Benzema scored the opener in an eventual 2–1 home win. He also had a couple of chances to net himself during the match.[12]

In the 2013–14 season, Morata became a regular member of the first team squad under new coach Carlo Ancelotti. On 18 March 2014 he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League, closing the scoreline in a 3–1 win over FC Schalke 04 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the round-of-16.[13] On 17 May, in the last game of the league campaign, he netted two late goals against RCD Espanyol to help to a 3–1 home success and tally eight in the competition;[14] he also featured in the club's victory in the final of the Champions League against Atlético Madrid, playing the last ten minutes of regulation time and extra time after replacing Benzema.[15] Morata completed his transfer to Juventus in July 2014 [16]

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.[17] Subsequently, he represented the under-19s at the Japan International Tournament,[18] helping the national team finish second after the hosts.[19]

Morata was selected by Spain to the squad that appeared in the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Romania, helping the national team win the tournament with six goals, the highest in the competition.[20] He made his debut with the under-21s at the 2013 European Championships in Israel, being essential in the first two group games against Russia and Germany by netting the solitary goal in each contest, respectively in the 82nd and 86th minutes;[21][22] he closed out a perfect group stage for both team and player with his third, against the Netherlands (3–0)[23]– eventually he was crowned the competition's top scorer, and it also ended in conquest.[24]

Honours

Club

Real Madrid
Real Madrid Castilla

Country

Spain U21
Spain U19
Spain U17

Individual

Club statistics

As of 24 May 2014[26]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Madrid Castilla 2010–11 28 15 — — 28 15
2011–12 37 18 — — 37 18
2012–13 18 12 — — 18 12
Total 83 45 — — 83 45
Real Madrid 2010–11 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
2011–12 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2012–13 12 2 2 0 1 0 15 2
2013–14 23 8 6 0 5 1 34 9
Total 37 10 9 0 6 1 52 11
Career totals 120 55 9 0 6 1 135 56

Playing style

Good in the air and at holding the ball, with clinical finishing ability and excellent movement, Morata drew comparisons to legendary Real Madrid and Spain player Fernando Morientes due to his style.[27]

References

  1. ^ Un año inolvidable para Morata (An unforgettable year for Morata); Real Madrid's official website, 7 December 2009 Template:Es icon
  2. ^ Una generación para la historia (A generation to make history); Marca, 26 June 2010 Template:Es icon
  3. ^ At the gates of the first team; Real Madrid's official website, 30 July 2010
  4. ^ El Alcorcón cae ante un buen Real Madrid Castilla (Alcorcón loses against a good Real Madrid Castilla); Marca, 15 August 2010 Template:Es icon
  5. ^ 3–2: Primeros tres puntos para el Castilla (3–2: First three points for Castilla); Real Madrid's official website, 29 August 2010 Template:Es icon
  6. ^ Madrid claim Zaragoza triumph; ESPN Soccernet, 12 December 2010
  7. ^ "No tengo esperanzas de que se fiche un delantero" ("I have no hopes about signing a new striker"); Diario AS, 15 January 2011 Template:Es icon
  8. ^ 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 Template:Es icon
  9. ^ 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 Template:Es icon
  10. ^ Morata earns Madrid the win; ESPN Soccernet, 11 November 2012
  11. ^ Real claim derby spoils; ESPN FC, 17 February 2013
  12. ^ Ramos heads late winner; ESPN FC, 2 March 2013
  13. ^ "Cristiano Ronaldo double completes Real Madrid's thrashing of Schalke". The Guardian. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
  14. ^ "Real Madrid 3–1 Espanyol". BBC Sport. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  15. ^ "Real Madrid 4–1 Atlético Madrid". BBC Sport. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  16. ^ Tuttosport.com
  17. ^ Álvaro Morata – FIFA competition record (archived)
  18. ^ Convocatoria Torneo Internacional de Japón Sub-19 (Japan U19 International Tournament callup); Royal Spanish Football Federation, 7 August 2010 Template:Es icon
  19. ^ La Sub-19 gana y se adjudica el segundo puesto (U19 win and finish second); Royal Spanish Football Federation, 24 August 2010 Template:Es icon
  20. ^ Spain's Morata takes U19 scoring plaudits UEFA.com, 1 August 2011
  21. ^ Morata late show gives Spain winning start; UEFA.com, 6 June 2013
  22. ^ Morata sends Spain through as Germany crash out; UEFA.com, 9 June 2013
  23. ^ Spain beat Netherlands to top Group B; UEFA.com, 12 June 2013
  24. ^ Morata wins Golden Boot in Spanish clean sweep; UEFA.com, 18 June 2013
  25. ^ "Thiago leads all-star squad dominated by Spain". UEFA.com. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  26. ^ "Morata". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  27. ^ Morata, el recogepelotas atlético que admiraba a Raúl (Morata, the ball boy who admired Raúl); El País, 13 December 2010 Template:Es icon

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