Javier Morales

Javier Morales

Personal information
Full name	Javier Damián Morales
Date of birth	(1980-01-10) January 10, 1980
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Real Salt Lake
Number	11
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2000	Lanús	20	(0)
2000–2003	Arsenal de Sarandí	102	(14)
2003	Lanús	9	(0)
2004	Newell's Old Boys	11	(1)
2004–2005	Arsenal de Sarandí	44	(1)
2006	Instituto	14	(0)
2006–2007	UD Vecindario	23	(5)
2007–	Real Salt Lake	218	(46)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 May 2016.

Javier Morales (born 10 January 1980) is an Argentine footballer who has played for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer since 2007. Morales has tallied more assists than any other player in Real Salt Lake history.

Career

Argentina

From 1998 to 2006, Morales played for four different clubs in the Argentine Primera División, including two stints each with Lanús and Arsenal de Sarandí. He spent most of that time with Avellaneda-based Arsenal, playing in 146 matches and scoring 15 goals for the club. He spent his last season in Argentina with Instituto before moving to Spain.

Spain

Morales spent 2006-07 with UD Vecindario of the Spanish Second Division LIGA BBVA. In one lone season with the club, he scored five goals in 23 matches (20 starts).

United States

In August 2007, Morales moved to the United States to play for Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer. Morales was acquired by Real Salt Lake at the same time as fellow Argentines Matias Mantilla and Fabián Espíndola. Morales made an immediate impact for RSL—he tallied an assist 40 seconds into his MLS debut (August 29 vs. the Kansas City Wizards) - the fastest first assist in MLS history. His first career goal for RSL came September 19 against the Los Angeles Galaxy. He finished the season with one goal and two assists in seven matches (five starts).

In his second season with RSL (2008), Morales emerged as a star player and team leader. He started 29 of Real Salt Lake's 30 contests, totaling 6 goals (tied with Robbie Findley for second-highest on the team, just behind Yura Movsisyan). Morales tallied 15 assists, shattering the club record of 11 set by Jeff Cunningham in 2006. It was the second-highest total in the MLS that season, behind only league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto of the Columbus Crew. His outstanding play guided RSL to the club's first-ever appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs, where Morales figured in all three of the team's postseason goals, scoring one and assisting on two as RSL advanced to the Western Conference Final.

During the offseason, Morales signed a contract extension to keep him in Salt Lake until 2012. In 2009, he continued as one of RSL's top players, although his numbers declined somewhat. His play has been solid enough to earn him a selection in the 2009 MLS All-Star Game. Already a fan favorite, Morales scored a spectacular goal in the team's 1-0 exhibition victory over Club América on July 11. Morales started off the 2010 MLS season with a bang, tallying two goals and an assist against the San Jose Earthquakes.

On May 7, 2011, in a game against Chivas USA, Morales suffered a fracture-dislocation in his left ankle after a challenge from Marcos Mondaini. He was out for over four months, returning to play on September 28, 2011.

Personal

Morales holds a U.S. green card which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.

Honors

Real Salt Lake

• MLS All-Star: 2009, 2010
• MLS Inactive All-Star Roster'": 2013
• MLS Eastern Conference Championship (team): 2009
• MLS Cup (team): 2009
• MLS Western Conference Championship: 2013

See also

• List of current MLS players

External links

• MLS player profile
• Argentine League Statistics
• UD Vecindario webpage
• Guardian statistics