Manuel "Manu" del Moral Fernández (born 25 February 1984) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as either a forward or winger.
 Manu in action for Sevilla in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel del Moral Fernández | ||
| Date of birth | 25 February 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Jaén, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Jaén | |||
| 2001–2002 | Atlético Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2006 | Atlético Madrid B | 71 | (11) |
| 2004–2006 | Atlético Madrid | 5 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | → Recreativo (loan) | 33 | (4) |
| 2006–2011 | Getafe | 159 | (37) |
| 2011–2015 | Sevilla | 56 | (11) |
| 2013–2014 | → Elche (loan) | 24 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | → Eibar (loan) | 28 | (3) |
| 2015–2016 | Valladolid | 25 | (3) |
| 2016–2018 | Numancia | 52 | (18) |
| 2018–2019 | Gimnàstic | 15 | (2) |
| 2019 | Rayo Majadahonda | 14 | (3) |
| Total | 482 | (94) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002–2003 | Spain U19 | 4 | (3) |
| 2002–2003 | Spain U20 | 9 | (0) |
| 2005 | Spain U23 | 5 | (2) |
| 2011 | Spain | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He played 272 games and scored 53 goals in La Liga, representing Atlético Madrid, Getafe, Sevilla, Elche and Eibar. In Segunda División, serving five other teams, he recorded 138 appearances and 29 goals.
Manu won one cap for the Spain national team.
Club career
editAtlético
editManu was born in Jaén, Andalusia. After starting his youth career with local Real Jaén,[1] he finished it with Atlético Madrid, where he played alongside Braulio, and served a one-and-a-half-season loan in the second division at Recreativo de Huelva, appearing in only five matches during his first year.
While mainly registered with the capital side's reserves, Manu did play five La Liga games in the 2005–06 campaign, mainly as a late substitute.[2]
Getafe
editManu joined Madrid neighbours Getafe CF for 2006–07, scoring his first top-flight goal on 22 October 2006 in a 2–1 victory at precisely Recreativo[3] and finishing the season with eight (squad's second-best, behind Dani Güiza). The following campaign he teamed up again with Braulio, and netted seven times – joint-top scorer alongside Juan Ángel Albín – while also helping the Madrid outskirts team to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.[4]
The arrival of Roberto Soldado relegated del Moral to a more secondary role in 2008–09, but he still made 29 league appearances, operating mostly on the wings. On 24 January 2010, he scored the game's only goal as Getafe defeated former side Atlético Madrid for the first time at home in its history;[5] on 7 November, after netting in a 1–3 home loss against FC Barcelona, he became the club's best-ever scorer in the top division for the second time, surpassing precisely Soldado.[6]
On 14 March 2011, Manu scored three goals against Athletic Bilbao in only 25 minutes, one in his own net, in an eventual 2–2 home draw.[7] He finished the season with nine goals, in a narrow escape from relegation.[2]
Sevilla
editOn 23 May 2011, del Moral signed a four-year contract with Sevilla FC for €4 million.[8] Following the departure of winger Diego Capel and the ageing of striker Frédéric Kanouté, he was immediately cast into his new team's starting XI. On 25 October, he hit an injury-time header to earn his side one point at home against Racing de Santander (2–2) – he had also opened the score late into the first half.[9]
In late March 2012, Manu scored braces in two consecutive 3–0 away wins, first against Santander then in a local derby at Granada CF.[10][11] After only three competitive goals in the 2012–13 campaign, he was loaned to Elche CF[12] and SD Eibar,[13] but managed just five top-tier goals both clubs combined.[14][15]
Later years
editOn 27 August 2015, del Moral signed a one-year contract with Real Valladolid.[16] He continued to play in the second level the following seasons, representing CD Numancia,[17] Gimnàstic de Tarragona and CF Rayo Majadahonda.[18]
Del Moral announced his retirement on 26 September 2019, at the age of 35.[19]
International career
editOn 7 June 2011, after his best season at Getafe,[2] del Moral made his debut for Spain, replacing David Villa during half-time of a 3–0 friendly win against Venezuela.[20][21]
Career statistics
editClub
edit| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Madrid B | 2002–03 | Segunda División B | 36 | 3 | — | — | 36 | 3 | ||
| 2003–04 | 14 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 50 | 4 | — | — | 50 | 4 | ||||
| Recreativo (loan) | 2003–04 | Segunda División | 5 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 1 | ||
| 2004–05 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 32 | 3 | |||
| Total | 33 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 4 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 2005–06 | La Liga | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |
| Getafe | 2006–07 | La Liga | 30 | 8 | 6 | 0 | — | 36 | 8 | |
| 2007–08 | 34 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 46 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 | 29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 39 | 8 | |||
| 2009–10 | 36 | 8 | 8 | 1 | — | 44 | 9 | |||
| 2010–11 | 30 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 9 | ||
| Total | 159 | 37 | 22 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 193 | 39 | ||
| Sevilla | 2011–12 | La Liga | 34 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 10 |
| 2012–13 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 2 | — | 27 | 3 | |||
| Total | 56 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 67 | 13 | ||
| Elche (loan) | 2013–14 | La Liga | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 2 | |
| Eibar (loan) | 2014–15 | La Liga | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 28 | 3 | |
| Valladolid | 2015–16 | Segunda División | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | |
| Numancia | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 20 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | 21 | 9 | |
| 2017–18 | 32 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 9 | |||
| Total | 52 | 18 | 2 | 0 | — | 54 | 18 | |||
| Gimnàstic | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |
| Rayo Majadahonda | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 3 | |
| Career total | 461 | 87 | 37 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 512 | 91 | ||
Honours
editClub
editGetafe
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2006–07, 2007–08
International
editSpain U20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 2003
Spain U23
References
edit- ^ Cómo se 'fabrica' un Manu del Moral (How to 'make' a Manu del Moral); Ideal, 21 January 2008 (in Spanish)
- ^ a b c Carretero, Rodrigo (25 May 2011). "Del Moral se va con la música a Estados Unidos" [Del Moral takes his music to the United States] (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ "Abbondanzieri protagoniza la victoria al parar un penalti" [Abbondanzieri the protagonist in win after saving a penalty] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 22 October 2006. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ "El sueño azulón acabó en el último minuto de una prórroga inolvidable (3–3)" [The blue dream ended in the last minute of an unforgettable overtime (3–3)] (in Spanish). 20 minutos. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ Manu haunts old club; ESPN Soccernet, 24 January 2010
- ^ Manu, máximo goleador en la historia del Getafe (Manu, top goal scorer in Getafe history); Diario AS, 7 November 2010 (in Spanish)
- ^ Vera rescues point for Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 14 March 2011
- ^ Official: Sevilla sign Manu del Moral and Piotr Trochowski; Goal, 23 May 2011
- ^ Manu salvages point for Sevilla; ESPN Soccernet, 25 October 2011
- ^ Manu double downs Racing; ESPN Soccernet, 22 March 2012
- ^ Sevilla cruise to victory; ESPN Soccernet, 26 March 2012
- ^ Quintero, Fede (5 July 2013). "Manu del Moral y Stevanovic llegan cedidos al Elche" [Manu del Moral and Stevanovic arrive to Elche on loan] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ "El Sevilla cede a Manu del Moral al Eibar" [Sevilla loan Manu del Moral to Eibar] (in Spanish). Marca. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ Palomar, Julián (12 February 2014). "Manu del Moral se apunta a ser un 'cincuentón'" [Manu del Moral digs being 'fifty'] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ Gómez, Letizia (16 May 2018). "La doble cara de las cesiones" [The two faces of loans] (in Spanish). El Diario Vasco. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
- ^ "Manu del Moral, más gol para el Pucela" [Manu del Moral, more goal for Pucela] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ "Manu del Moral, nuevo jugador del C. D. Numancia" [Manu del Moral, new player of C. D. Numancia] (in Spanish). CD Numancia. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ "Manu del Moral refuerza la delantera del CF Rayo Majadahonda" [Manu del Moral bolsters the forward line of CF Rayo Majadahonda] (in Spanish). CF Rayo Majadahonda. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ "Manu del Moral se retira tras 10 años en Primera y siete en Segunda" [Manu del Moral retires after 10 years in Primera and seven in Segunda] (in Spanish). Marca. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- ^ Manu wins first Spain call-up; ESPN Soccernet, 25 May 2011
- ^ Macdonald, Paul (5 June 2011). "Cazorla & Silva shine, Negredo nets, Torres returns – Spain extract maximum satisfaction from comfortable USA triumph". Goal. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
- ^ "Manu del Moral". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
- ^ Garin, Erik. "Mediterranean Games 2005 (Spain)". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
External links
edit- Manu del Moral at BDFutbol
- Manu del Moral at Futbolme (in Spanish)
- Manu del Moral at National-Football-Teams.com
- Manu del Moral – FIFA competition record (archived)