Maximiliano Moralez

Maximiliano Nicolás "Maxi" Moralez (born 27 February 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Major League Soccer club New York City. He is nicknamed frasquito (English: little flask).

Maxi Moralez

Personal information
Full name	Maximiliano Nicolás Moralez
Date of birth	27 February 1987
Place of birth	Granadero Baigorria, Argentina
Height	1.58 m (5 ft 2 in)[1][2]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team	New York City
Number	10
Youth career
	Racing
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	Racing	52	(8)
2007–2009	FC Moscow	6	(0)
2008	→ Racing (loan)	37	(8)
2009–2011	Vélez Sársfield	72	(20)
2011–2015	Atalanta	142	(18)
2016–2017	León	34	(6)
2017–	New York City FC	104	(21)
National team^‡
2007	Argentina U20	16	(5)
2011	Argentina	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:58, 12 November 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:40, 16 July 2015 (UTC)

Club career

Moralez started playing professionally for Racing Club in the Argentine Primera División during the 2005 Clausura tournament, entering the field on a 2–2 draw with Colón.[3] In 2007, Moralez was bought by FC Moscow. However, after only half a season in the Russian club, he was loaned back to Racing Club.[4] Moralez helped his club avoid relegation during the 2007–08 season, scoring the winning goal against Belgrano in the relegation playoff.

For the 2009 Clausura tournament, Moralez was bought by Vélez Sársfield. During his first season in the club, he helped the team become Argentine champion, playing 14 (out of 19) games and scoring 5 goals.[5] He scored the winning goal against Huracán on the 83rd minute of the final game, giving Vélez the 1–0 victory necessary to win the championship. During the following tournament, the 2009 Apertura, Moralez was Vélez' top goalscorer (along Jonathan Cristaldo) with 5 goals each.

On 5 March 2011, Moralez renewed his contract with Vélez until June 2013.[6] During that semester, he won his second league title with the club (the 2011 Clausura) playing 15 of the 19 games, and scoring 4 goals.[7] He also played 11 of the 12 games of his team's Copa Libertadores semi-finalist campaign, scoring 5 goals.

On 27 July 2011, Atalanta B.C., recently promoted to the Serie A, paid Moralez's buyout clause to Vélez Sársfield (€8 million for the 50% transfer rights owned by Vélez).[8] The Argentine midfielder was introduced by his new club three days later.

On 24 December 2015, Jesús Martínez Murguía (León's President), confirmed that Moralez would be playing the 2016 tournament with Club León.

On 15 February 2017, New York City announced that he had been signed as a Designated Player.[9]

International career

In 2007, Moralez was called for the Argentina under-20 squad for the South American Youth Championship held in Paraguay. Later that year he was part of Argentina FIFA W-20 World Cup title winning team. He played along Sergio Agüero and Mauro Zárate in the attack. Moralez was third highest scorer in the tournament (bronze shoe) and was named second best player (silver ball), behind his teammate Agüero.

In November 2010, Moralez was selected as part of an Argentine league squad to train twice weekly with the Argentine national team.[10] He made his senior international debut on a 4–1 friendly victory over Venezuela on 16 March 2011.[11]

Club statistics

As of 11 March 2020[12][13]

Club	Season	League	League			Cup			Continental[14]			Other[15]			Total
			Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Racing Club	2004–05	Argentine Primera División	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—			4	0	0
	2005–06		15	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	—			15	1	2
	2006–07		33	7	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	—			33	7	7
Racing Club (loan)	2007–08		18	3	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	—			18	3	5
	2008–09		18	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	—			18	5	5
Racing Totals			88	16	19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	88	16	19
FC Moscow	2007	Russian Premier League	6	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	—			7	0	0
FC Moscow Totals			6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0	0
Vélez Sársfield	2008–09	Argentine Primera División	14	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	—			14	5	5
	2009–10		26	7	7	0	0	0	14	0	4	—			40	7	11
	2010–11		32	8	4	0	0	0	11	5	5	—			43	13	9
Vélez Sársfield Totals			72	20	16	0	0	0	25	5	9	0	0	0	97	25	25
Atalanta	2011–12	Serie A	34	6	7	1	1	0	0	0	0	—			35	7	7
	2012–13		29	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	—			31	1	3
	2013–14		32	5	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	—			33	5	6
	2014–15		30	5	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	—			31	5	6
	2015–16		17	1	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	—			18	2	5
Atalanta Totals			142	18	24	6	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	148	20	26
León	2015–16	Liga MX	18	4	4	2	1	3	0	0	0	—			20	5	7
	2016–17		16	2	3	5	0	0	0	0	0	—			21	2	3
León Totals			34	6	7	7	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	41	7	10
New York City	2017	Major League Soccer	31	5	9	1	0	0	—			2	0	0	34	5	9
	2018		32	8	16	0	0	0	—			3	1	2	35	9	18
	2019		29	7	20	2	0	1	—			1	0	1	32	7	22
	2020		4	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	1	1	7	1	1
New York City FC Totals			92	20	45	3	0	1	2	0	0	6	1	3	108	22	50
Career Totals			434	80	111	15	3	6	27	5	9	6	1	3	486	90	130

Honours

Club

Vélez Sársfield

• Argentine Primera División (2): 2009 Clausura, 2011 Clausura

International

Argentina U-20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup (1): 2007

Individual

• FIFA U-20 World Cup Silver Ball: 2007
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Bronze Shoe: 2007
• MLS All-Star: 2019[16]
• MLS Best XI: 2019[17]

References

1. "Maxi Moralez - Player Stats". fifaindex.com. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
2. "Maxi Moralez". futview.com. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
3. "Closing '05 statistics". Argentine Soccer. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
4. Maximiliano Moralez: «Hablamos con Sergio Romero de la posibilidad de volver a Racing» racingmaniacos.com.ar
5. "Closing '09 statistics". Argentine Soccer. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
6. "Maxi renovación" (in Spanish). Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
7. "Closing '11 statistics". Argentine Soccer. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
8. "Vélez, el nuevo millonario" (in Spanish). Cancha Llena. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
9. Booth, Mark. "#WelcomeMaxi: Moralez Joins NYCFC as Third Designated Player". nycfc.com. New York City Football Club. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
10. Fernando Czyz (15 November 2010). "Batista inicia un nuevo proceso de selección local". Cancha Llena (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 November 2010.
11. "La Selección local goleó a Venezuela y aprobó el examen" (in Spanish). TyC Sports. 16 March 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
12. "Profile". Argentine Soccer. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
13. "Profile". ESPN Deportes. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
14. Appearances in Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamerica and CONCACAF Champions League
15. Appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs
16. "2019 MLS All-Star Roster". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
17. "MLS Fact and Record Book". Major League Soccer. p. 163. Retrieved 28 October 2019.

External links

• Profile at Vélez Sársfield official website (in Spanish)
• Maximiliano Moralez – FIFA competition record
• Maximiliano Moralez Interview