1. Overview
Àlex Moreno is a Spanish professional footballer primarily known for his roles as a left-back and left winger. His career has spanned several clubs in Spain and England, marked by significant contributions to team successes. He spent the majority of his career with Rayo Vallecano and Real Betis, where he achieved a total of 146 appearances and six goals over six seasons in La Liga. A highlight of his time in Spain was winning the 2021-22 Copa del Rey with Real Betis. In January 2023, he made a move to the Premier League by signing with Aston Villa, and is currently on a loan spell at Nottingham Forest. Moreno has also represented the Catalonia national side internationally.
2. Early Life and Background
Àlex Moreno was born on 8 June 1993, in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, a municipality within the Barcelona province in Catalonia, Spain. From a young age, he developed a keen interest in football, often following his father to matches.
2.1. Childhood and Youth Academies
Moreno began his formative football years in the youth academy of his local club, FC Vilafranca. His talent was recognized, and in April 2011, he joined the prestigious youth system of FC Barcelona, known globally as La Masia. During his tenure at Barcelona, he had the invaluable experience of training alongside prominent first-team players of the era, including football icons such as Lionel Messi, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, and David Villa. He initially started his career playing as a winger. Despite making regular appearances within the youth setup, Moreno was released by FC Barcelona in 2012.
3. Club Career
Moreno's professional journey began in Spain, progressing through various divisions before establishing himself in La Liga and eventually moving to the English Premier League.
3.1. Early Professional Career and Mallorca
Following his departure from FC Barcelona, Moreno joined Llagostera, a club competing in the Segunda División B, in July 2012. He had previously made his senior debut in the 2010-11 season with Vilafranca. With Llagostera, he made his professional debut in the Copa del Rey and the Tercera División. During the 2012-13 season, he accumulated 1,333 minutes of play and scored two goals.
On 4 July 2013, Moreno made a move to RCD Mallorca, a club that had recently been relegated to the Segunda División. His first professional match for Mallorca took place on 18 August 2013, in a 4-0 away defeat against Sabadell in the Segunda División. He scored his first goal in the second division on 4 January 2014, contributing to a 2-2 draw against Las Palmas. Moreno featured regularly throughout the season, playing alongside future stars like Marco Asensio and Gerard Moreno under the guidance of coach Luis Oltra. His contributions were vital as the team narrowly avoided another relegation.
3.2. Rayo Vallecano
On 15 July 2014, Àlex Moreno signed a four-year contract with Rayo Vallecano, who were then managed by Paco Jémez. He made his La Liga debut on 14 September, coming on as a late substitute in a 2-3 home defeat against Elche. In his first season, he made 11 appearances for the club.
For the 2015-16 season, Moreno was loaned to Elche, a team in the second tier, on 13 August 2015. During his loan spell, he was a key player, making over 40 appearances and scoring two goals. Upon his return to Rayo Vallecano, the club had been relegated to the Segunda División. He quickly established himself as an undisputed starter at the Campo de Fútbol de Vallecas. In the 2017-18 season, Moreno played a pivotal role, netting three goals in 40 appearances. His significant contributions helped Rayo Vallecano secure the Segunda División title and achieve promotion back to the top flight.
3.3. Real Betis
On 21 August 2019, following Rayo Vallecano's relegation, Moreno joined Real Betis on a five-year contract. He swiftly became a regular starter as the left-back under coach Manuel Pellegrini. His consistent performances helped Real Betis qualify for the UEFA Europa League in the 2020-21 season.
Moreno scored his first goal for the Andalusian club on 11 January 2020, in a 3-0 victory over Club Portugalete in the second round of the Copa del Rey. His first league goal for Betis came on 24 October 2021, when he helped his team to a 3-2 win against his former club, Rayo Vallecano, at the Estadio Benito Villamarín. On 12 December, he further showcased his attacking prowess by scoring a brace (two goals) in a commanding 4-0 defeat of Real Sociedad, also at the Estadio Benito Villamarín. Moreno played in eight matches during the 2021-22 Spanish Cup campaign, a tournament Real Betis went on to win for the third time in their history. This included playing 105 minutes in the final against Valencia, which Betis won on penalties in Seville.
3.4. Aston Villa
On 11 January 2023, Àlex Moreno transferred to Premier League club Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal. He was assigned the number 15 shirt upon his arrival. He made his league debut for Aston Villa just two days later, on 13 January, coming on as a substitute for the injured Lucas Digne early in a 2-1 home victory against Leeds United.
On 20 May 2023, Moreno suffered a hamstring injury during a 1-1 draw against Liverpool. Following surgery to address the injury, he was estimated to be sidelined for a period of between three and four months. He made his return to competitive play on 30 November, scoring his first goal for Aston Villa in a 2-1 home victory over Legia Warsaw in the group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League. His first league goal for Aston Villa came on 17 December, when he scored the equalizer in an eventual 2-1 away win against Brentford.
3.5. Nottingham Forest
On 21 August 2024, Moreno moved to Nottingham Forest, another club in the Premier League, on a season-long loan. He was given the number 19 shirt at his new club.
4. International Career
Àlex Moreno has represented the Catalonia national side, which is not affiliated with FIFA. He made his debut for Catalonia on 25 May 2022, starting in a 6-0 victory over the Jamaica national football team.
5. Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Llagostera | 2012-13 | Segunda División B | 27 | 2 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 31 | 2 | ||
| Mallorca | 2013-14 | Segunda División | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 2 | ||
| Mallorca B | 2013-14 | Tercera División | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | |||
| Rayo Vallecano | 2014-15 | La Liga | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 13 | 1 | ||
| 2016-17 | Segunda División | 37 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 38 | 4 | |||
| 2017-18 | Segunda División | 40 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 40 | 3 | |||
| 2018-19 | La Liga | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 1 | |||
| 2019-20 | Segunda División | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 124 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 127 | 9 | ||
| Elche (loan) | 2015-16 | Segunda División | 40 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 41 | 2 | ||
| Betis | 2019-20 | La Liga | 31 | 0 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2020-21 | La Liga | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2021-22 | La Liga | 30 | 5 | 8 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | 45 | 5 | ||
| 2022-23 | La Liga | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| Total | 99 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 122 | 6 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2022-23 | Premier League | 19 | 0 | - | - | - | 19 | 0 | |||
| 2023-24 | Premier League | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 3 | |
| Total | 40 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 48 | 3 | ||
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2024-25 | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 16 | 0 | |
| Career total | 376 | 22 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 419 | 25 | ||
6. Honours
Rayo Vallecano
- Segunda División: 2017-18
Real Betis
- Copa del Rey: 2021-22