Marcelo Moretto

Marcelo Moretto
Personal information
Full name Marcelo Moretto de Souza
Date of birth 10 May 1978 (1978-05-10) (age 33)
Place of birth Eldorado, Brazil
Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Avaí
Number 31
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1998 São José 0 (0)
1998–2003 Portuguesa 13 (0)
1999 → Londrina (loan) 0 (0)
2001 → Sport Recife (loan) 6 (0)
2002 → Brasiliense (loan) 0 (0)
2004 15 Novembro
2004 Felgueiras 8 (0)
2005 Vitória Setúbal 23 (0)
2006–2009 Benfica 18 (0)
2007–2008 → AEK Athens (loan) 15 (0)
2010 Brasiliense
2010 Olhanense 13 (0)
2011 Arka Gdynia 14 (0)
2011– Avaí 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 December 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).

Marcelo Moretto de Souza, known as Moretto (born 10 May 1978 in Eldorado, Mato Grosso do Sul) is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Avaí Futebol Clube as a goalkeeper.

Contents

Club career

Early years

Moretto played four years professionally in his homecountry, representing São José Esporte Clube, Associação Portuguesa de Desportos, Londrina Esporte Clube, Sport Club do Recife, Brasiliense Futebol Clube and Clube 15 de Novembro.

In 2003, aged 25, Moretto decided to try his luck in Portugal, joining S.C. Salgueiros, at the time playing in the second division, and made a very good first impression during the team's pre-season matches. However, facing serious economical crisis, Salgueiros was relegated to the third division (north zone) and lost all of its professional players.

Forced to look for another club, Moretto joined F.C. Felgueiras (also in the second division). There, he played eight matches, conceding a total of 10 goals. Nevertheless, Moretto caught the attention of other Portuguese clubs.

In January 2005, the keeper came close playing for G.D. Estoril Praia and F.C. Penafiel (both first divisioners at the time), but ended up in Vitória de Setúbal (also in the topflight) to replace Ricardo Batista (who had signed for Premier League team Fulham) after signing a two-and-a-half year contract. At Setúbal Moretto met success for the first time. He soon became the coach's first option while the team performed above all expectations, winning the country's second most important trophy, the Portuguese Cup, after beating giants S.L. Benfica in the final.[1]

In 2005–06, Moretto started off the season in Setúbal. The team performed well during the first half, with Moretto playing 17 matches and suffering only five goals. After enjoying a remarkable success, Vitória was struck by the resignation of their coach, Luis Norton de Matos, and a few other players due to unpaid wages. The year 2005 ended with Moretto being the number one goalkeeper of all European leagues, with the less number of goals conceded per minute played.

Benfica

During the 2005 Christmas and New Year break in Portugal, a lot was spoken in the press about Moretto's possible transfer to Benfica or F.C. Porto. In a controversial move, Moretto followed his will and picked Benfica to be his new club after explaining the allegedly «bad behaviour» of both the player's manager and Porto chairmen. Porto officially denied immediate interest in the player. The transfer cost Benfica €1 million and Moretto signed for five-and-a-half years.[2]

Benfica's interest gained strength as José Moreira suffered an injury that would keep him off the pitch for the remainder of the season. Quim, the team's other goalkeeper also suffered an injury, leaving the team with only the junior unexperienced Rui Nereu to play both the domestic league and the UEFA Champions League. Upon his arrival, he immediately became Ronald Koeman's number one choice between the posts, even with Quim fully recovered.

Throughout the rest of the campaign, Moretto played on 18 occasions in the league, once in the cup and four times in the Champions League, against reigning champions Liverpool (conceding no goals) and FC Barcelona, where he stopped Ronaldinho's penalty and Samuel Eto'o shots.[3]

The Brazilian did not have an easy time after joining Benfica because, alternating above-average performances with subpar ones, he suffered from the irrational animosity of the club supporters, which greatly undermined his concentration. As a result, upon the departure of Koeman and arrival of his replacement, Fernando Santos, Moretto was relegated to the role of substitute goalkeeper, with Quim again taking over the nets. During the season he played only one match, often splitting the subs bench with Moreira.

On 13 July 2007, Moretto agreed to join AEK Athens FC on a loan deal.[4] The Greek team had the option to purchase the player at the end of the loan period, which was not activated, and he returned to Benfica for 2008–09.

Late career

On 3 August 2009, Benfica released Moretto from his contract, with the player planning to return to his country.[5] Late in the year, he signed with a team he had already represented, Brasiliense – second division.

In July 2010, however, Moretto returned to Portugal, signing with lowly first-divisioner S.C. Olhanense. In the following transfer window, he changed teams - and countries - again, joining Arka Gdynia in Poland.[6]

Honours

Club statistics

Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
(Apps) + Minutes Played Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Portuguesa 1998 * . * mins * * * * * * * * *
São José 1998 * . * mins * * * * * * * * *
Portuguesa 1999 * . * mins * * * * * * * * *
Londrina 1999 * . * mins * * * * * * * * *
Portuguesa 2000 10 . * mins * * * * * * * 10 *
Sport Recife 2001 6 . * mins * * * * * * * 6 *
Portuguesa 2002 3 . * mins * * * * * * * 3 *
Brasiliense 2002 * . * mins * * * * * * * * *
Portuguesa 2003 * . * mins * * * * * * * * *
XV de Novembro 2004 * . * mins * * * * * * * * *
Total (Brasil) 19 . * mins * * * * * * * 19 *
Felgueiras 2004–05 8 . 675 mins * * * * * * * 8 *
Vitória Setúbal 2004–05 8 . 720 mins * * * * * * * 8 *
2005–06 15 . 1350 mins * * * * * * * 15 *
Benfica 2005–06 18 . 1620 mins * * * * * * * 18 *
2006–07 1 . 90 mins * * * * * * * 1 *
Total (Portugal) 50 . 4455 mins * * * * * * * 24 *
AEK 2007–08 14 . 1350 mins * * * * * * * 14 *
Total (Greece) 14 . 1350 mins * * * * * * * 14 *
Benfica 2008–09 0 . 0 mins * * * * * * * 0 *
Total (Portugal) 0 . 0 mins * * * * * * * 0 *
Career total 83 . 5805 mins * * * * * * * 83 *

* – Not available

References

  1. ^ Meyong magic seals Setúbal joy; UEFA.com, 29 May 2005
  2. ^ Benfica build for title surge; UEFA.com, 2 January 2006
  3. ^ Barça denied by Moretto magic
  4. ^ Moretto in AEK loan move; UEFA.com, 13 July 2007
  5. ^ Benfica libera Marcelo Moretto para voltar ao futebol brasileiro (Benfica releases Marcello Moretto so he can return to Brazilian football); Futebol na Rede (Portuguese)
  6. ^ Marcelo Moretto w Arce Gdynia (Marcelo Moretto to Arka Gdynia): Sport.onet, 17 February 2011 (Polish)

External links