Álvaro Morata’s football life jumps from the lights to the shadows, always with resilience as the striker’s most powerful weapon, even, at times, more powerful than his goals, 257 in total, 37 with the Spain shirt. Although, in reality, it is Álvaro Morata’s life in general that jumps from brightness to darkness. Now he also has to overcome the breakup with the mother of his four children, Alice Campello, a separation that is too high-profile for a footballer, which adds to his streak of emotional difficulties. “In the end, for me the best thing was to leave Spain because there came a time when I couldn’t stand it,” he revealed, in an interview on Cadena Cope, his decision to leave Atlético de Madrid to return to the Italian league. This time, to wear the shirt of another great, one more in his career: Milan.
There are only three footballers in the history of the Spanish team who have been called up for the senior team in five different stages of their career. Morata has been called up to play for Spain when he was at Real Madrid, at Juventus, at Chelsea, at Atlético and now also when he moved to Milan with his goals. A record that he shares with the top scorer in the history of La Roja, David Villa (52 goals), who flew to Las Rozas from Zaragoza, Valencia, Barcelona, Atlético and New York City; and also with Julio Salinas: Athletic, Atlético, Barcelona, Deportivo and Sporting.
Morata changes his skin in the big teams in Europe, but does not break his bond with La Roja. In fact, his scoring effectiveness with Spain is superior to what he has on his teams. At Juve, for example, in which he played the most duels (185), he has a scoring average of 0.32. At Atlético it was 0.38 compared to the 0.33 he signed at Chelsea and Real Madrid. In Milan, for now, it adds up to an average of 0.28. With the national team, however, their average rises to 0.45. Along the way, however, he has had to endure whistles, like in the friendly against Brazil in March, but essentially doubts about his football. “No one is prepared to be whistled at home. I wasn’t ready to handle that,” said the captain of La Roja.
It was after receiving the support of Iniesta and Bojan that Morata decided not to drop out of the last Euro Cup that he ended up winning in Berlin. “If it wasn’t for Andrés and Bojan I wouldn’t have played in this Euro Cup. There have been moments like the ones I have gone through. And they have taught me that there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he confessed. He even considered leaving the national team again after the success of Germany. This time, it was his teammates and Luis de la Fuente who convinced him to continue leading the locker room. “In my head it was my last tournament and what my body asked me was to enjoy other things. But my teammates and the coach asked me to continue, that it was important for them. And when they make you feel important you are happy. That’s why now I have the strength and desire to enjoy what I have left.”
In few places did he feel as happy as in Córdoba. Empty of goals with La Roja since he had scored in the Euro premiere against Croatia, Morata missed his second penalty of four attempts with Spain. “That’s what it’s like, the grass has risen from going too hard. The next penalty I take in the rain I will go with less enthusiasm. It’s football too. Even the best in history have also failed, how can I not fail?” justified number 7. But the Arcángel fans did not point out the captain, on the contrary. “Morata, Morata, Morata,” they began to sing. A fuel of affection for the forward who, minutes later, was reunited with the net after three great missed chances and a total of five shots.
“I spent a large part of my childhood in Córdoba. I have wonderful memories here. I can only thank the people of Córdoba every time I come here, for the love they give me. I wish I could give it back to all these people one by one. Today they have helped me to continue fighting,” said the forward. It is fighting fairly, leitmotiv of Morata’s career, in fact that of his life. And he has no problem talking about it: “Eight out of ten young people suffer from these things and many people are afraid to say it. My goal is not to feel sorry, cry or complain, I accept criticism about my work. The only thing I want is to make an important topic natural.”
