Álvaro Morata
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Álvaro Borja Morata Martín | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Real Madrid Castilla | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2007 | Atlético Madrid | ||
| 2007–2008 | Getafe | ||
| 2008–2010 | Real Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010– | Real Madrid Castilla | 17 | (10) |
| 2010– | Real Madrid | 1 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2009 | Spain U17 | 6 | (2) |
| 2010 | Spain U18 | 2 | (3) |
| 2010– | Spain U19 | 5 | (4) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 February 2011 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 October 2010 | |||
Álvaro Borja Morata Martín (born 23 October 1992 in Madrid) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Real Madrid Castilla.
Club career
Signed by Real Madrid on 2008 from Getafe CF youth teams, he started playing in the Juvenil C team. On November 2009 he started to alternate games between all Juvenil squads (A, B and C) and Real Madrid C.[1] On July 2010, after a successful season with the Juvenil A team winning two youth titles and scoring 34 goals,[2] he was promoted to Real Madrid Castilla. Later that month, Real Madrid's 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 Real Madrid Castilla in a friendly match against AD Alcorcón scoring the only goal in the 1–0 victory.[4] His league debut came on 29 August, in a 3–2 win over Coruxo,[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 in Real Madrid's 3–1 win against Real Zaragoza. Ten days later Morata made his debut in Copa del Rey when he was brought on as a substitute in the 77th minute. On January 2011, after 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 the Castilla".[6] In this period Morata attached a string of five goals in four matches with the reserves,[7] while Emmanuel Adebayor was being signed to fit the missing striker in the first team. On 13 February he scored the first hat-trick of his career, in a 7–1 victory over Deportivo B.[8]
Club statistics
Accurate as last game played on 27 February 2011.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Real Madrid Castilla | 2010–11 | 17 | 10 | — | — | 17 | 10 | ||
| Total | 17 | 10 | — | — | 17 | 10 | |||
| Real Madrid | 2010–11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Career totals | 18 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 10 | |
International career
Morata was called for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he played four matches and scored two goals.[9] The RFEF called Morata for the Japan International Tournament U-19.[10] The team placed second after Japan.[11]
Playing style
Good in the air and at holding up the ball, with clinical finishing ability and excellent movement, Morata has been compared to legendary Spaniard and former Real Madrid talisman Fernando Morientes due to his style.[12]
Honours
Country
- FIFA U-17 World Cup: Third place - Bronze medal (2009)
References
- ^ Un año inolvidable para Morata (An unforgetable year for Morata) realmadrid.com, 7 December 2010. In spanish.
- ^ Una generación para la historia (A generation to make history) marca.com, 26 June 2010. In spanish.
- ^ At the gates of the first team realmadrid.com, 30 July 2010.
- ^ El Alcorcón cae ante un buen Real Madrid Castilla (Alcorcón loses against a great Real Madrid Castilla) marca.com, 15 August 2010. In Spanish.
- ^ 3–2: Primeros tres puntos para el Castilla (3–2: First three points for Castilla) realmadrid.com, 29 August 2010. In Spanish.
- ^ "No tengo esperanzas de que se fiche un delantero" - Mourinho (Mourinho: "I have no hopes about signing a new striker" as.com, 15 January 2011. Template:Es icon
- ^ 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
- ^ Morata hace un 'hat trick' en el 7-1 del Castilla (Morata does a hat trick in Castilla's 7-1) marca.com, 13 February 2011. Template:Es icon
- ^ FIFA.com - FIFA Player Statistics: Alvaro MORATA fifa.com, retrieved 16 August 2010.
- ^ Convocatoria Torneo Internacional de Japón Sub-19 rfef.es, 7 August 2010. In Spanish.
- ^ La Sub-19 gana y se adjudica el segundo puesto rfef.es, 24 August 2010. In Spanish.
- ^ Morata, el recogepelotas atlético que admiraba a Raúl (Morata, the ball boy who admired Raúl) elpais.com, 13 December 2010. Template:Es icon