Alfredo José Morelos Aviléz (born 21 June 1996) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Santos and the Colombia national team.
Morelos began his senior career with Independiente Medellín in his homeland before moving to Finland to play for Helsinki side HJK, initially on loan then permanently. In June 2017, he moved to Scotland to join Rangers, for a reported fee of £1m. Morelos currently holds the club record for most goals scored in European competitions with 29 goals.
Morelos played youth international football for Colombia at under-17 and under-20 levels. He was a member of the under-20 team that were runners-up in the 2015 South American U-20 Championship. Morelos made his senior international debut for Colombia in 2018 and was part of the squad that finished third at the 2021 Copa América.
Early life
Born in Cereté, Colombia, Morelos lived with his sisters, his parents and his grandmother, but after joining Independiente Medellín, he had to live away from his family. Morelos said in an interview with AS.com that he is married. While in Finland, Morelos said though it was tough to adapt to the country, as his family decided to stay in Colombia and he had to travel to South America to be with them. Morelos also revealed that it was his father who got him into football and goalscoring.
Club career
Independiente Medellín
2014 season
Morelos began his career at Independiente Medellín in 2011 at the age of 15 and worked his way through the academy ranks he was promoted to the first team by then manager Hernán Darío Gómez, he made his Independiente Medellín debut aged 18 years and 22 days, in a 2–2 draw with Rionegro Águilas in the Copa Colombia group stage on 13 July 2014 coming on as a 74th-minute substitute. On 24 July 2014 Morelos started his first game for Independiente Medellín and scored his first ever senior goal aged 18 years, 1 month and 3 days in a 2–0 win over Evigado in the Copa Colombia. 7 days later on 31 July 2014 Morelos scored a brace in two minutes in a 3–2 win over Jaguares de Córdoba during a Copa Colombia group B match taking his tally to 3 goals in 3 games. Morelos featured three more times for Independiente Medellín in the group stage of the competition scoring a further two goals, one against Leones on 21 August 2014 in a 3–0 win and one 7 days later against Evigado in a 1–1 draw. Independiente Medellín finished second in their group with 21 points, level on points with first placed Atlético Nacional and progressed through to the last 16 of the 2014 Copa Colombia but where defeated 5–2 on aggregate by Deportes Tolima, Morelos made an appearance in both legs of the tie.
Morelos made his Categoría Primera A debut for Independiente Medellín on 31 August 2014 in a 3–0 win over Águilas Doradas coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute. 6 days later on 6 September 2014, Morelos scored his first Categoría Primera A goal for Independiente Medellín during injury time against Fortaleza Esporte Clube to win the match 3–2 in the 92nd minute. Morelos made a further four appearances in the 2014 Categoría Primera A but the goal against Fortaleza would be his last of the season.
Independiente Medellín finished runners-up to Independiente Santa Fe in the 2014 Finalización after losing the final 3–2 on aggregate, Morelos made an appearance in the 2nd leg of the tie on 21 December 2014 coming on as a 66th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw.
Morelos ended the 2014 season with fourteen appearances and six goals in all competitions for Independiente Medellín and received a 2014 Categoría Primera A Finalización runner-up medal.
2015 season
Morelos made eleven appearances in all competitions in the 2015 season, six in the Categoría Primera A and five in the Copa Colombia but failed to find the net in any of the matches. Independiente Medellín reached the final of the Categoría Primera A 2015 Apertura but were defeated 2–1 on aggregate by Deportivo Cali with Morelos coming as a 68th-minute substitute in the 2nd leg on 8 June 2015 which ended 1-1, earning Morelos his second runner-up medal.
In January 2016 it was reported in the Colombian media that Morelos was linked with a move away from Independiente Medellín to European side HJK Helsinki.
Morelos made a total of twenty five appearances for Independiente Medellín scoring six goals in all competitions during his time with the club.
HJK
2016 season
On 5 February 2016, HJK announced the signing of Morelos on loan, with an option of buying the striker on a permanent basis.