Álvaro Morata (Part 2)

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4 Apr 2024

Álvaro Morata (Part 2)

Álvaro Morata's tenure at Chelsea began with high expectations following his record-breaking transfer from Real Madrid. He made his competitive debut in the 2017 FA Community Shield match against Arsenal, where despite the team's loss on penalties, Morata showcased glimpses of his talent. His first Premier League appearance came against Burnley, where he scored a header and provided an assist, albeit in a losing effort.
Morata's breakthrough moment for Chelsea came on September 23, 2017, when he scored his first hat-trick for the club in a commanding 4-0 victory over Stoke City. This accomplishment solidified his place in Chelsea's attack and marked him as the 17th player in the club's history to score a hat-trick in the Premier League.

Throughout his debut season, Morata demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess, notably finding the back of the net in crucial matches such as the 1-0 win over Manchester United and the 2-0 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion. However, his season was not without controversy, as he was sent off in a FA Cup replay win over Norwich City for receiving two quick bookings.
Despite these challenges, Morata finished his first year at Chelsea with a respectable tally of 15 goals in all competitions. However, the team's fifth-place finish in the league was below expectations, reflecting both the highs and lows of Morata's debut season in the Premier League.
Álvaro Morata's return to Juventus in 2020 marked a new chapter in his career, with the Spanish striker joining the Italian giants on loan. Despite initial skepticism regarding his loan move, Morata quickly made an impact, showcasing his goal-scoring abilities and contributing to the team's success.

Morata's return to Juventus saw him make significant contributions, including scoring important goals in both Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. His brace against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League group stage match highlighted his ability to deliver on the big stage. However, his performance against Barcelona, where three goals were disallowed for offside, showcased the fine margins in football.
The culmination of Morata's loan spell with Juventus was the Supercoppa Italiana triumph in January 2021, where he played a key role in securing victory over Napoli, scoring the second goal of the match. Despite this success, Juventus ultimately decided not to activate the buy option at the end of the loan period.

Morata's loan was extended until 2022, providing him with another opportunity to make an impact for Juventus. Throughout the 2021-2022 season, he continued to feature prominently for the club, scoring nine goals in Serie A despite facing stiff competition. However, Juventus opted not to exercise the buy option, signaling the end of Morata's tenure with the club.
Álvaro Morata's return to Atlético Madrid in 2022 saw him make a significant impact during the 2022-2023 season, particularly in La Liga. Although Atlético faced disappointment in European competitions, Morata's performance in the league stood out as he scored a total of 13 goals, marking his highest goal tally for Atlético in La Liga.

Throughout the season, Morata showcased his goal-scoring prowess, delivering crucial performances for Atlético. His brace in the 7-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in August 2023 not only contributed to the team's historic away win but also demonstrated Morata's ability to find the back of the net consistently.
One of the standout moments of Morata's season came on 24 September 2023 when he scored a brace against Real Madrid, his former club, in a 3-1 victory. This marked Morata's first La Liga goals against Real Madrid, highlighting his impact in important fixtures.
Despite Atlético's occasional setbacks, Morata's individual brilliance was evident, particularly showcased in his hat-trick against Girona on 3 January 2024, even though the team ultimately suffered a 4-3 loss. Morata's ability to produce such performances underlines his importance to Atlético Madrid's attacking prowess and his capability to deliver in crucial moments.

Álvaro Morata's journey with the Spanish national youth teams showcased his talent and goal-scoring ability from an early age.
He started his international youth career with the Spain under-17 team, representing them at the 2009 U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. Morata's contributions, including two goals, helped Spain secure a third-place finish in the tournament.
Following his stint with the under-17 team, Morata continued to excel at the youth level, representing Spain under-19s at the Japan International Tournament. His performances played a part in Spain finishing second in the competition.

Morata's breakthrough came at the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Romania, where he played a pivotal role in Spain's triumph. With six goals to his name, Morata emerged as the tournament's top scorer, showcasing his scoring prowess on the international stage.
His success at the under-19 level earned him a call-up to the Spain under-21 team for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Israel. Morata made an immediate impact, scoring crucial goals in the group stage matches against Russia, Germany, and the Netherlands. Spain went on to win the tournament, with Morata finishing as the top scorer once again, solidifying his status as one of Spain's brightest young talents.

Morata received the call-up to join manager Vicente del Bosque's senior squad for matches against Belarus and Germany. He entered the field against Belarus on the 15th, substituting Isco for the final ten minutes of a 3–0 victory in Huelva for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers. During the same tournament, on 27 March 2015, he netted his inaugural senior international goal, the solitary strike in a triumph over Ukraine in Seville.
Handpicked for the finals in France, Morata commenced and bagged a pair of goals in a 3–0 group triumph against Turkey in Nice. On 2 September 2017, emerging from the bench in the 77th minute, he found the net once to aid the hosts in overcoming Italy 3–0 in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

On 21 May 2018, Morata found himself excluded from Spain's 23-man squad for the World Cup finals, following what The Guardian described as "an indifferent season at Chelsea."
On 24 May 2021, he earned a spot in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. On 19 June, in Spain's second group encounter of the tournament against Poland, Morata notched the opening goal in an eventual 1–1 draw. Morata struck Spain's fourth goal of the Euro 2020 round of 16 in the 100th minute of the game against Croatia, resulting in a 5–3 victory on 28 June. In the semi-finals against Italy, he emerged from the bench to score an equalizing goal, which propelled the match to extra-time and eventually to a penalty shootout. Spain was ousted after losing the shootout by 4–2, during which his penalty was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma. Nonetheless, his goal against Italy marked his sixth in the European Championship, enabling him to surpass Fernando Torres' former record of five goals in the competition.