Alfredo Morelos

Alfredo Morelos
Personal information
Full name Alfredo José Morelos Aviléz [1]
Date of birth (1996-06-21) 21 June 1996
Place of birth Cereté, Colombia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Rangers
Number 20
Youth career
Independiente Medellín
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2016 Independiente Medellín 12 (1)
2016 → HJK (loan) 30 (16)
2016–2017 HJK 12 (11)
2017– Rangers 43 (17)
National team‡
2013 Colombia U17 4 (0)
2015 Colombia U20 6 (0)
2018– Colombia 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 07 october 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 September 2018

Alfredo José Morelos Aviléz (born 21 June 1996) is a Colombian footballer who plays for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership and the Colombian national team, as a forward. He is a former Colombia U20's international.

Morelos began his senior career with Deportivo Independiente Medellín in his homeland before moving to Finland to play for Helsinki side HJK, initially on loan then permanently. In June 2017, he moved to Scotland to join Rangers for a transfer fee reported to be £1 million.[2]

Club career

Independiente Medellín

Morelos began his career at Independiente Medellín when he first joined in 2011 and was soon promoted to the first team by then manager Hernán Darío Gómez,[3] where he made his Independiente Medellín debut, in a 3–0 win over Rionegro Águilas in the Categoría Primera A on 1 September 2014.[4] It came three days on 28 August 2014 before when he scored, in a 1–1 draw against Envigado.[5] Five days later on 6 September 2014, Morelos scored his first Independiente Medellín goal, in a 3–2 win over Fortaleza.[6] He went on to finish the 2014 season, making fourteen appearances and scoring six times in all competitions, where he scored four more goals in the Cup against Leones,[7] Jaguares de Córdoba (twice)[8] and Envigado.[9]

HJK

After making eleven appearances in all competitions in the 2015 season, it was reported in Colombian media that Morelos was linked with a move to a European side, which turned out to be HJK[10] and then on 5 February 2016, HJK announced the signing of Morelos on loan, with an option of buying the striker on a permanent basis.[11][12]

Morelos made an immediate impact on his debut four days later in the League Cup, coming on as a substitute in the Stadin derby against HIFK and scored in the 90th minute to make the game 3–3.[13] A week later on 18 February 2016, Morelos scored a brace in the League Cup once again, in a 2–2 draw against Inter Turku.[14] Morelos also made an impact in the league and started the season well when he scored four goals in the first six matches against VPS,[15] RoPS,[16] SJK[17] and AC Kajaani (twice).[18] After scoring against HIFK,[19] Morelos scored his first hat–trick of his HJK career in the Suomen Cup, in a 4–1 win over KuPS on 15 June 2016,[20] followed up scoring in a 3–1 win over SJK three days later.[21] Five days later, on 23 June 2016, he scored in the semi–final of the Finnish Cup, in a 3–0 win over Lahti to send them through to the final.[22]

Elsewhere, in the UEFA Europa League Qualifier, Morelos scored three goals in six UEFA Europa League appearances against Atlantas,[23] Beroe Stara Zagora[24] and IFK Göteborg (twice),[25] all of which were first leg. He then scored four more league goals by August against PK-35 Vantaa,[26] FC Lahti,[27] KuPS (twice)[28] and scored against them for the second time in another encounter weeks later on 28 August 2016.[29] After scoring six goals in seven competitions, including the final against SJK (though the club lost 5–4 in the penalty shoot–out), Morelos was named September Player of the Month.[30] Morelos scored once during the last month of the season against title challenger, IFK Mariehamn, on 14 October 2016.[31] However, he were unable to help the club win the league after IFK Mariehamn won it on the last game of the season.

After finishing the 2016 season, which saw him scored thirty goals and making forty–three appearances in all competitions,[32] Morelos was awarded the league’s best striker of the year award.[33]

Rangers

Morelos signed a three-year deal with Rangers on 19 June 2017[34] for an undisclosed fee, which was widely reported to be £1 million.[2][35]

He made his debut for Rangers in a 1–0 home win against Progrès Niederkorn in the Europa League first qualifying round first leg ten days later, coming on in the 77th minute in place of Martyn Waghorn.[36] On 9 August, Morelos scored his first two Rangers goals in a 6–0 win over Dunfermline Athletic also at Ibrox in the second round of the Scottish League Cup.[37] Three days later he scored his first goal in the Scottish Premiership, heading the team into an early lead in a 3–2 home loss to Hibernian.[38]

He finished the season with 18 goals, tied (with Josh Windass) as the club's top scorer for the season; 14 of those strikes were in the league, the second-highest total behind Kris Boyd of Kilmarnock.[39]

International career

Morelos was called up by Colombia U17 for the first time in July 2012[40] and made his Colombia U17 debut in a 9–0 win against Paraguay U17 on 2 April 2013[41] and went on to make four appearance for the U17 side.

In September 2014, Morelos was called up by Colombia U20 for the first time[42] and made his Colombia debut on 16 January 2015, in a 6–0 win against Uruguay.[43] Morelos was in the Colombia squad when they finished runner's-up in the 2015 South American Youth Football Championship.[44][45]

On 28 August 2018, Morelos received his first call up to the Colombian senior national team for the friendly matches against Venezuela and Argentina.[46]

Personal life

Born in Cereté, Colombia, Morelos lived with his sisters, his parents and his grandmother, but after joining Independiente Medellín, he had to live away from his family.[3] Morelos said in an interview with AS.com that he is a Christian and is married.[47] While in Finland, Morelos said though it was tough to adapt to the country, as his family decided to stay in Colombia and he had to travel to South America every week to be with them.[47] Morelos also revealed that it was his father who got him into football and goalscoring.[47]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played on 7 October 2018[48]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Independiente Medellín 2014 Liga Águila 6185--146
2015 6050--110
Total 121135--256
HJK 2016 Veikkausliiga 301647336[lower-alpha 1]44330
2017 121175-001916
Total 4227111233646246
Rangers 2017–18 Scottish Premiership 351432322[lower-alpha 1]04318
2018–19 8300249[lower-alpha 1]41911
Total 431732561146229
Career total 974527198917814981
  1. 1 2 3 Appearances in the Europa League

Honours

Club

Independiente Medellin

HJK

References

  1. ↑ "Alfredo Morelos sigue mostrando su estampa de goleador en Finlandia". El Heraldo (in Spanish). 14 November 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  2. 1 2 MacArthur, Scott (19 June 2017). "SNAPPED UP Rangers seal signing of Alfredo Morelos as Colombian forward becomes Pedro Caixinha's sixth summer signing". The Scottish Sun. News UK.
  3. 1 2 "Alfredo Morelos es un goleador de raza". El Colombiano. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  4. ↑ ""Poderoso" triunfo ante Las Águilas Doradas de Pereira" (in Spanish). Minuto30.com. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "Envigado 1 – DIM 1... Goles juveniles de Mateo Cardona y Alfredo Morelos" (in Spanish). El Colombiano. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "Alerta Roja! El DIM llegó a su cuarta victoria consecutiva con el 2–3 a Fortaleza" (in Spanish). Gol Caracol TV. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "Santa Fe, Medellín, Chicó y Tolima mandan en sus grupos tras novena fecha" (in Spanish). Gol Caracol TV. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "Alegría roja, desazón verde" (in Spanish). El Colombiano. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "DIM 2 – Envigado 0, goles de Morelos y Yorleys Mena.... Asistencia: 32.344 espectadores" (in Spanish). El Colombiano. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "Kolumbian U20-kärki yhdistetty HJK:hon – vuoden lainasopimus tehty?" (in Finnish). Suomi Futis. 16 January 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Kolumbialainen hyökkääjä lainasopimuksella Klubiin" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga Official Website. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  12. ↑ "Alfredo Morelos lainasopimuksella Klubiin". hjk.fi/ (in Finnish). HJK. 5 February 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "HJK nousi tasoihin Stadin derbyssa (HJK-HIFK 3–3)" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga Official Website. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "HJK nousi ahdingosta tasapeliin (FC Inter–HJK 2–2)" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga Official Website. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "HJK:n hyökkäys liian väkevä pala VPS:lle" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "HJK ja RoPS pistejakoon – IFK Mariehamn kaatoi mestari SJK:n" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  17. ↑ "HJK nousi sarjakärkeen ja HIFK pelastautui tasapeliin dramaattisella kierroksella" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  18. ↑ "HJK nära chockuttåg i cupen – förlängning mot division 2-lag" (in Swedish). YLE Sporten. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  19. ↑ "Helsingin derbyssä maalit tehtiin 12 minuutissa – HIFK hukkasi tasoituspaikat" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  20. ↑ "Morelos HJK:n sankarina Kuopiossa" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga Official Website. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  21. ↑ "HJK oli tyly juhlavieras SJK:n uudella stadionilla" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 18 June 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  22. ↑ "SJK ja HJK jyräsivät Suomen Cupin finaaliin" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  23. ↑ "HJK-tykki Morelos iski kahdesti – HJK:lle makea voitto Liettuasta" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  24. ↑ "HJK:n maalitykki osui – Klubille arvokas vierasmaali eurokentillä" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  25. ↑ "HJK herkutteli vierasmaaleilla Eurooppa-liigassa – komea voitto Göteborgista!" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  26. ↑ "HJK jyräsi PK-35 Vantaan ja meni sarjakärkeen – näin sunnuntain Veikkausliiga-kierroksella pelattiin" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 24 July 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  27. ↑ "Sinivalkoinen pyörremyrsky Töölössä – vantaalaiset myrskynsilmässä" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  28. ↑ "HJK romahti päätösminuuteilla" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  29. ↑ "Morelos laukoi HJK:n takaisin liigakärkeen" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 28 August 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  30. ↑ "HJK:n Morelos kuukauden pelaajaksi" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga Official Website. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  31. ↑ "IFK Mariehamn jatkaa mestaruusjahdin kärjessä" (in Finnish). YLE Sporten. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  32. ↑ ""Tengo características parecidas a las de Falcao y Ronaldo", Alfredo Morelos". Publim Metro. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  33. ↑ "Alfredo Morelos Veikkausliigan paras hyökkääjä". hjk.fi/ (in Finnish). HJK. 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  34. ↑ "Rangers complete deal for striker Alfredo Morelos". BBC Sport. 19 June 2017.
  35. ↑ "Rangers new boy Alfredo Morelos vows to keep grabbing the goals and make the most of his Ibrox move". Daily Record. 19 June 2017.
  36. ↑ "Rangers 1–0 Progres Niederkorn". BBC Sport. 29 June 2017.
  37. ↑ "Rangers 6–0 Dunfermline". BBC Sport. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  38. ↑ "Rangers 2–3 Hibernian". BBC Sport. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  39. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/scottish-premiership/top-scorers
  40. ↑ "Colombia Sub-17 escogió Bogotá para un nuevo ciclo de trabajo" (in Spanish). Gol Carcol TV. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  41. ↑ "Colombia debutó en el Sudamericano Sub-17 con empate 1–1 ante Paraguay" (in Spanish). Gol Caracol TV. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  42. ↑ "Selección Colombia Sub-20 definió su grupo de viajeros a Chile" (in Spanish). Gol Carcol TV. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  43. ↑ "1–0: Colombia perdió su primer examen del Sudamericano Sub-20 con Uruguay" (in Spanish). Gol Caracol TV. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  44. ↑ Ciullini, Pablo. "XXVII Sudamericano Juvenil 2015 (Uruguay)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  45. ↑ "Chile U20 vs. Colombia U20 0 - 3". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  46. ↑ "Alfredo Morelos: Rangers striker receives first Colombia call-up". www.bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  47. 1 2 3 "Morelos y sus 30 goles en 2016: "La idea es superar a Cristiano"" (in Spanish). AS.com. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  48. ↑ Alfredo Morelos at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  49. ↑ Alfredo Morelos at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
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