Álvaro Morata facts for kids

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Álvaro Morata

Morata celebrating the UEFA Euro 2024 title with Spain
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	Galatasaray (on loan from AC Milan)
Number	77
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)
2010–2014	Real Madrid	37	(10)
2014–2016	Juventus	64	(15)
2016–2017	Real Madrid	26	(15)
2017–2020	Chelsea	47	(16)
2019–2020	→ Atlético Madrid (loan)	49	(18)
2020–2024	Atlético Madrid	68	(28)
2020–2022	→ Juventus (loan)	67	(20)
2024–	AC Milan	16	(5)
2025–	→ Galatasaray (loan)	12	(6)
International career‡
2009	Spain U17	6	(2)
2010	Spain U18	2	(3)
2010–2012	Spain U19	13	(11)
2013–2014	Spain U21	13	(13)
2014–	Spain	86	(37)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Spain UEFA European Championship Winner 2024 Germany Team UEFA Nations League Winner 2023 Netherlands Team 2025 Germany Team UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 2013 Israel Team UEFA European Under-19 Championship Winner 2011 Romania Team FIFA U-17 World Cup Third 2009 Nigeria Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:25, 24 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:40, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

Álvaro Borja Morata Martín (born October 23, 1992) is a Spanish professional footballer. He plays as a striker for Süper Lig club Galatasaray. He is currently on loan from AC Milan. Morata is also the captain of the Spain national team.

Morata started his career at La Liga club Real Madrid in 2010. He later moved to Serie A club Juventus in 2014. There, he won the league and cup in both seasons. Real Madrid bought him back in 2016, and he won a La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League. In 2017, he joined Premier League club Chelsea. He then returned to Spain to play for Atlético Madrid in 2019. From 2020 to 2022, Morata played for Juventus again on loan. In 2024, he joined AC Milan and then moved to Galatasaray on loan in 2025.

Morata played 34 games for Spain's youth teams. He helped his country win the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He first played for the senior national team in 2014. He has played for Spain in major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2016, Euro 2020, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was the captain when Spain won Euro 2024.

Club Journey

Starting at Real Madrid

Morata joined Real Madrid in 2008. He had previously played for Getafe and Atlético Madrid. In July 2010, he moved up to Real Madrid Castilla, which is Real's reserve team. He had a great season with the youth team, scoring 34 goals.

Morata training with Real Madrid in 2010

Morata played his first game for Castilla on August 15, 2010. He scored the only goal in a friendly match. On December 12, 2010, he made his debut for the main Real Madrid team. He came on as a substitute in a 3–1 win against Real Zaragoza. Even though he was doing well, the coach, José Mourinho, said Morata needed more time to learn with the reserve team.

On February 13, 2011, Morata scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game). This was in a big 7–1 win. He ended his first season with 14 goals for the reserve team.

Morata celebrates winning the 2013 Puskás Cup with Real Madrid Castilla

Morata scored his first goal for Real Madrid's main team on November 11, 2012. He came on as a substitute and scored the winning goal in just 60 seconds. On March 2, 2013, he played the whole game in El Clásico against Barcelona. He helped Karim Benzema score the first goal in a 2–1 win.

In the next season, Morata became a regular player for the first team. On March 18, 2014, he scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League. This was in a 3–1 win against Schalke 04. He also scored two goals in the last league game of the season. He played in the Champions League Final when Real Madrid won against Atlético Madrid.

Time at Juventus

On July 19, 2014, Morata joined Juventus for €20 million. He signed a five-year contract. Real Madrid kept the option to buy him back later. He played his first game in Serie A on September 13. Two weeks later, he scored his first goal for Juventus.

Morata with Juventus in 2014

On October 5, 2014, Morata was sent off (given a red card) in a game against Roma. On November 9, he scored two goals in a huge 7–0 win against Parma. On January 28, 2015, he scored the only goal in a Coppa Italia game against Parma. This helped Juventus reach the semi-finals.

In the Champions League, he scored the winning goal against Borussia Dortmund. He also scored in the return match, helping Juventus win 3–0. In the semi-final against his old club, Real Madrid, he scored in both games. He did not celebrate these goals out of respect. On June 6, in the final against Barcelona, he scored a goal, but Juventus lost 3–1.

In August 2015, Morata was injured and missed a month of games. On September 15, he scored the winning goal against Manchester City in the Champions League. On December 10, 2015, he signed a new contract with Juventus until 2020. On May 21, 2016, he scored the winning goal in extra time in the Coppa Italia final against AC Milan.

Back to Real Madrid

On June 21, 2016, Real Madrid bought Morata back from Juventus for €30 million. His first game back was on August 9, in a 3–2 win against Sevilla. His first goal came on August 27 in a 2–1 win against Celta.

On April 5, 2017, Morata scored three goals in a 4–2 win against Leganés. Even though he was often a backup player, he scored 15 league goals. Real Madrid won the league title that season. He also scored three goals in the Champions League, which Real Madrid won for the second year in a row.

Playing for Chelsea

2017–18 Season

On July 19, 2017, Chelsea announced they had agreed to sign Morata. The fee was about £60 million, a record for the club. He officially became a Chelsea player on July 21.

Morata playing for Chelsea in 2017

Morata played his first game for Chelsea on August 6, 2017. This was in the 2017 FA Community Shield against Arsenal. He scored and helped set up a goal in his first Premier League game on August 12. On September 23, he scored his first hat-trick for Chelsea in a 4–0 win against Stoke City.

On November 5, 2017, Morata scored in a 1–0 win against Manchester United. By December 26, he had scored ten league goals. On January 17, 2018, Morata was sent off in an FA Cup game. He finished his first year with 15 goals in all competitions.

2018–19 Season

Morata scored his first goal of the next season on August 18, 2018. This was in a 3–2 win against Arsenal. On October 4, he scored the winning goal in a UEFA Europa League game. A month later, he scored twice in a 3–1 league win against Crystal Palace.

Joining Atlético Madrid

Morata playing for Atlético Madrid in 2019

On January 27, 2019, Morata moved to Atlético Madrid on an 18-month loan. He played his first league game on February 3. He scored his first goal on February 24 in a 2–0 win against Villarreal. On July 6, 2019, Atlético Madrid confirmed they would sign Morata permanently. He officially joined the club on July 1, 2020.

On August 18, 2019, Morata scored the only goal in Atlético Madrid's first La Liga game of the season. On October 1, he played his 300th professional game. On October 22, he scored his first Champions League goal for Atlético. This made him the first player to score for both Real Madrid and Atlético in the Champions League.

On March 11, 2020, Morata scored a goal in the Champions League against Liverpool. This helped his team win 3–2 and move on to the next round.

Another Time at Juventus

Morata playing for Juventus in 2021

Morata went back to Juventus on September 22, 2020, on a one-year loan. He played his first game back on September 27. He scored his first goal since returning on October 17. On October 20, he scored two goals in a Champions League game against Dynamo Kyiv.

On January 20, 2021, Morata won the Supercoppa Italiana with Juventus. He scored the second goal in a 2–0 win against Napoli. On June 15, 2021, his loan with Juventus was extended until June 30, 2022. He scored nine goals in 35 league games during the 2021–22 season.

Back to Atlético Madrid Again

In July 2022, Atlético Madrid confirmed that Morata would return to Madrid. In the 2022–23 Champions League season, Atlético did not do well in Europe. However, Morata scored 13 goals in the league, which was his best total for Atlético in La Liga.

On August 28, 2023, he scored two goals in a big 7–0 win. This was Atlético's largest away win in La Liga history. On September 24, 2023, he scored two goals against Real Madrid, his former club. On January 3, 2024, Morata scored his first hat-trick for Atlético in a 4–3 loss. In the 2023–24 season, he scored 15 goals in La Liga, his personal best.

Playing for AC Milan

On July 19, 2024, Morata joined Serie A club AC Milan. He signed a four-year contract. He made his debut for Milan on August 17, scoring in a 2–2 draw. On November 5, he scored his first Champions League goal with Milan against his former club Real Madrid.

Loan to Galatasaray

On February 2, 2025, Morata joined Süper Lig club Galatasaray on loan from AC Milan. This move happened because Galatasaray's main striker was injured. Morata played his first game for Galatasaray on February 3, 2025. He scored his first goal for the club on February 6 in a Turkish Cup match.

Morata's time at Galatasaray has had ups and downs. He scored three goals in his first three months. He also had a muscle injury in February. However, on April 27, 2025, he had a great game against Eyüpspor. He helped set up a goal and then scored two goals himself in a 5–1 victory.

International Career

Youth Teams

Morata playing for Spain U19 in 2010

Morata played for the Spain under-17 team in the 2009 U-17 World Cup. Spain finished third, and Morata scored two goals. He then played for the under-19s.

Morata was chosen for the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Romania. He helped Spain win the tournament and was the top scorer with six goals. He then played for the under-21s in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Israel. He scored the only goal in the first two group games. He scored his third goal against the Netherlands. In the semi-final, he scored and assisted a goal. In the final, he helped set up the first goal in a 4–2 win over Italy. Morata's four goals won him the Golden Boot award.

Senior National Team

On November 7, 2014, Morata was called up to the senior squad. He made his debut on November 15 in a 3–0 win. On March 27, 2015, he scored his first goal for the senior team. This was the only goal in a win against Ukraine.

He was chosen for the finals in France. Morata started and scored two goals in a 3–0 win against Turkey. On September 2, 2017, he scored in a 3–0 win against Italy. He was not chosen for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

On May 24, 2021, he was part of Spain's team for UEFA Euro 2020. On June 19, he scored the first goal in a 1–1 draw against Poland. On June 28, Morata scored Spain's fourth goal in a 5–3 win against Croatia. In the semi-finals against Italy, he came off the bench to score a goal. Spain lost the game after a penalty shootout. His goal against Italy was his sixth in the European Championship, setting a new Spanish record.

On September 27, 2022, he scored a goal in the 88th minute. This helped Spain win 1–0 against Portugal and qualify for the Nations League finals. In November 2022, he was in the team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He scored a goal in all three group matches.

In March 2023, Morata became the captain of the Spain national team. In June 2023, he was part of the team that won the Nations League finals for the first time. On September 8, he scored his first hat-trick for Spain in a big 7–1 win against Georgia.

Morata was confirmed as Spain's captain for UEFA Euro 2024. He scored the first goal in a 3–0 win against Croatia. He also assisted a goal in the semi-final win against France. Spain won the final against England 2–1. Morata lifted Spain's trophy as captain. Morata and a teammate faced a penalty from UEFA for comments made during celebrations.

How He Plays

Morata is a striker. When he was younger, people compared him to Fernando Morientes. He is known for his speed, energy, and strength. He is also good at using his technique, finding chances to score, heading the ball, and being in the right place. Sometimes, people have said he is not always consistent with his scoring. He is also praised for his leadership skills.

About His Life

Morata was born in Madrid. His parents are Susana Martín and Alfonso Morata. His father helps with his transfer deals. In March 2014, Morata shaved his head to support children with cancer. He said, "kids with cancer wanted to have my haircut but they couldn't, so I gave myself theirs."

Morata married Alice Campello in Venice on June 17, 2017. They have four children: three sons (Alessandro, Leonardo, and Edoardo) and a daughter (Bella). In 2018, Morata changed his shirt number at Chelsea from 9 to 29. He did this to honor his twin sons' birthday on July 29. Morata announced their separation on August 12, 2024, but they reconciled in January 2025.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Morata goal.

List of international goals scored by Álvaro Morata

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 March 2015	Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain	3	Ukraine	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
2	1 June 2016	Red Bull Arena, Salzburg, Austria	9	South Korea	4–0	6–1	Friendly
3					6–1
4	17 June 2016	Allianz Riviera, Nice, France	11	Turkey	1–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2016
5					3–0
6	21 June 2016	Nouveau Stade, Bordeaux, France	12	Croatia	1–0	1–2	UEFA Euro 2016
7	5 September 2016	Reino de León, León, Spain	15	Liechtenstein	6–0	8–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
8					7–0
9	7 June 2017	Nueva Condomina, Murcia, Spain	20	Colombia	2–2	2–2	Friendly
10	2 September 2017	Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain	21	Italy	3–0	3–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
11	5 September 2017	Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein	22	Liechtenstein	2–0	8–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
12					6–0
13	11 November 2017	La Rosaleda, Málaga, Spain	23	Costa Rica	2–0	5–0	Friendly
14	26 March 2019	National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	29	Malta	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
15					2–0
16	10 June 2019	Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain	31	Sweden	2–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
17	15 November 2019	Ramón de Carranza, Cádiz, Spain	32	Malta	1–0	7–0	UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
18	17 November 2020	La Cartuja, Seville, Spain	36	Germany	1–0	6–0	2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
19	25 March 2021	Nuevo Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain	37	Greece	1–0	1–1	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
20	19 June 2021	La Cartuja, Seville, Spain	42	Poland	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 2020
21	28 June 2021	Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark	44	Croatia	4–3	5–3 (aet)	UEFA Euro 2020
22	6 July 2021	Wembley Stadium, London, England	46	Italy	1–1	1–1 (aet) 2–4 (p)	UEFA Euro 2020
23	14 November 2021	La Cartuja, Seville, Spain	50	Sweden	1–0	1–0	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
24	29 March 2022	Riazor, A Coruña, Spain	52	Iceland	1–0	5–0	Friendly
25					2–0
26	2 June 2022	Benito Villamarín, Seville, Spain	53	Portugal	1–0	1–1	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
27	27 September 2022	Estádio Municipal, Braga, Portugal	57	Portugal	1–0	1–0	2022–23 UEFA Nations League A
28	23 November 2022	Al Thumama Stadium, Doha, Qatar	58	Costa Rica	7–0	7–0	2022 FIFA World Cup
29	27 November 2022	Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar	59	Germany	1–0	1–1	2022 FIFA World Cup
30	1 December 2022	Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar	60	Japan	1–0	1–2	2022 FIFA World Cup
31	8 September 2023	Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi, Georgia	65	Georgia	1–0	7–1	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
32					4–0
33					5–1
34	12 October 2023	La Cartuja, Seville, Spain	67	Scotland	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
35	8 June 2024	Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, Palma, Spain	73	Northern Ireland	2–1	5–1	Friendly
36	15 June 2024	Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany	74	Croatia	1–0	3–0	UEFA Euro 2024
37	15 October 2024	Estadio Nuevo Arcángel, Córdoba, Spain	82	Serbia	2–0	3–0	2024–25 UEFA Nations League A

Honours

Real Madrid Castilla

• Segunda División B: 2011–12

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2011–12, 2016–17
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11, 2013–14
• UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2016–17
• UEFA Super Cup: 2016
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2016

Juventus

• Serie A: 2014–15, 2015–16
• Coppa Italia: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2020–21
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2020

Chelsea

• FA Cup: 2017–18
• UEFA Europa League: 2018–19

AC Milan

• Supercoppa Italiana: 2024–25

Galatasaray

• Süper Lig: 2024–25
• Turkish Cup: 2024–25

Spain U17

• FIFA U-17 World Cup third place: 2009

Spain U19

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2011

Spain U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2013

Spain

• UEFA European Championship: 2024
• UEFA Nations League: 2022–23; runner-up: 2024–25

Individual

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011
• UEFA European Under-19 Championship Golden Boot: 2011
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2013
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship Golden Boot: 2013
• UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2014–15

See also

In Spanish: Álvaro Morata para niños