Efrain Morales
Efrain Andres Morales Badillo (born March 4, 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United. Born in the United States, he is a youth international for Bolivia.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Efrain Morales | ||
| Date of birth | March 4, 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Decatur, Georgia, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Atlanta United 2 (on loan from Atlanta United) | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2016–2021 | Atlanta United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020– | Atlanta United 2 | 54 | (2) |
| 2021– | Atlanta United | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | Bolivia U20 | 6 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 August 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of January 27, 2023 | |||
Career
Born in Decatur, Georgia, Morales joined in the youth academy of Major League Soccer club Atlanta United in 2016.[1] Morales began at the under-12 level but quickly progressed to the under-17 side.[1] After impressing coaches in the youth setup, Morales signed a professional homegrown player contract with Atlanta United on August 13, 2020, which will come into effect on January 1, 2021.[1]
On August 15, 2020, Morales made his professional debut for Atlanta United 2, Atlanta United's reserve team in the USL Championship, against Charleston Battery. He came on as a 22nd minute substitute for Patrick Nielsen and scored his first professional goal in the 51st minute. Despite the goal, Atlanta United 2 lost 3–2.[2]
Personal life
Born in the United States, Morales is the son of a Bolivian father and a Puerto Rican mother.[3]
Career statistics
- As of match played June 16, 2021[4]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlanta United 2 | 2020 | USL Championship | 4 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 1 | ||
| 2021 | USL Championship | 6 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Total | 10 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
References
- Bogert, Tom (August 13, 2020). "Atlanta United sign 16-year-old US youth national team defender Efrain Morales to Homegrown deal". Major League Soccer. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- "Charleston Battery 3–2 Atlanta United 2". Soccerway.
- "Club de la MLS ficha al juvenil boliviano Efraín Morales | EL DEBER". eldeber.com.bo.
- Efrain Morales at Soccerway