- Birthdate: 5 July 1992
- Birthplace: Seville, Spain
- Other clubs: Sevilla (2004-14), Villareal (2019-)
- Signed from: Sevilla
- Signed for LFC: £12m, 16.08.2014
- International debut: 15.10.2013 vs Georgia
- International caps: 4/0 (2 at LFC) -14.11.2017
- Liverpool debut: 25.08.2014
- Last appearance: 07.01.2019
- Debut goal: 31.08.2014
- Last goal: 10.04.2016
- Contract expiry: 01.07.2019
- Win ratio: 46.81% W:66 D:37 L:38
- Games/assists ratio: 12.82
- Honours: Champions League 2019
- League games / goals / assists: 90 / 3 / 5
- Total games / goals / assists: 141 / 3 / 11
Player Profile
In signing a second young Spanish full-back in Alberto Moreno only a week after the arrival of Javier Manquillo Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers appeared to have finally become satisfied that he had enough options to cover both full-back positions and his arrival at Anfield will be a concern to Jose Enrique and Jack Robinson as well as Glen Johnson, whose best chance to make the first 11 this season seems to be as a left-back.
Moreno is nearly two years older than Manquillo but his past playing record is similar to his compatriot’s in that he has only represented a club from the city of his birth and progressed from being a youth player to the “B” team and from there into the senior team. So for Manquillo’s Atlético Madrid read Moreno’s Sevilla, the club that earlier in 2014 matched Juventus, Internazionale of Milan and Liverpool by winning the UEFA Cup (or it’s rebranded successor the Europa League) for a third time with Moreno playing throughout the final against Benfica in Turin which the Spanish club won on penalties following a 0-0 draw after extra-time. That completed a third season in which the young full-back had played for Sevilla’s first team but in the first of those seasons (2011-12), he had only played once in coming on as a late substitute for Manu in a 1-0 defeat to Athletic Club at the San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao.
2012/13 was the big breakthrough season for the 20-year-old at both club and international level. He played in 15 La Liga matches (12 from the start and 3 as a substitute) and added 2 more appearances in the Copa del Rey. He played at left full-back in all the matches he started (14) with the exception of the away league match at Mallorca in March when he played in a more attacking role as a left-winger or a left wing-back. Moreno is essentially a winger, who has been converted to a full-back. He began to represent his country regularly, appearing in the finals of the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championships which were held in Israel. Moreno played in the group matches against Russia and Germany but was left out of the last group match against the Netherlands with the Spaniards having already qualified for the knock-out stage. He was back in the starting eleven for a 3-0 victory over Norway in the semi-final and kept his place for the Jerusalem final three days later when Spain beat Italy 4-2 to take the trophy.
More success followed in 2013-14. Moreno appeared in 76% of Sevilla’s league matches and 12 times in the Europa League as Los Rojiblancos progressed all the way through to the final, where they regained the trophy they had last won in 2007. Even without the European success Sevilla’s finishing league position of fifth would have meant that the club went straight into the group stage of the 2014/15 Europa League. For Señor Moreno, however, the goalposts have shifted because he now has the opportunity of playing in the Champions League for the first time as his new club reclaim their place at Europe’s top table after an absence of four seasons. At international level Vicente del Bosque named Moreno in his provisional squad of thirty players for the 2014 World Cup Finals in Brazil, but he failed to make the final 23.
Moreno can be lightning quick so he appeared perfect for the Brendan Rodgers wants Liverpool to play, being able to go forward but also get back quickly to defend if necessary. It is probably fair to say that the young Spanish full-back started the season better than he ended it. A shaky start at Manchester City was followed by a thrilling goal at Tottenham six days later and gave hope that the club had found another marauding, goal-soring back in the John Arne Riise mould. Sadly, that never came to fruition and Moreno only scored once more, in a home match against Swansea City between Christmas and New Year. Moreno started 2015/16 on the bench as newcomer Joe Gomes was given the left back slot. However Moreno got back into the side when Gomes injured his knee and he played fifty games in all competitions. His goal goal return was a disappointment, managing just one all season. After Liverpool's defeat in the Europa League final, he was widely criticised by fans and media pundits who blamed him for Liverpool's second half collapse. He spent most of 2016/17 on the bench, starting just two Premier League games as James Milner was preferred as a makeshift left back. The following season he was first choice left back from the start, but when he suffered an ankle injury in December 2017 Andy Robertson came in and was outstanding.
On his return to fitness Moreno started just two more games in the rest of the campaign. He failed to make the squad for the opening game of 2018/19, but was an unused substitute in the next five games. By the end of the campaign he had started just four games and came off the bench once, with James Milner usually being preferred as a makeshift left back if Robertson was unavailable. It was no surprise when it was announced on 4th June 2019 that he would be released from the club on expiry of his contract that month. On 9th July he agreed a five year deal to join Spanish side Villareal where he was frustrated by a muscle injury for the first half of the 2019/20 season, but was the club's first choice eft back when the season resumed following the COVID 19 suspension. There was frustration for Moreno in 2021/22 when an cruciate ligament injury ruled him out of facing Liverpool when they were drawn against Villareal in the semi final of the Champions League.
Appearances per season
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
8 |
647 |
Chelsea |
7 |
537 |
Stoke City |
7 |
423 |
Leicester City |
7 |
412 |
Manchester United |
6 |
540 |
Tottenham |
6 |
455 |
Crystal Palace |
6 |
429 |
Manchester City |
6 |
378 |
West Ham United |
5 |
450 |
Newcastle United |
5 |
431 |
Aston Villa |
5 |
404 |
Sunderland |
5 |
363 |
Arsenal |
5 |
360 |
WBA |
4 |
360 |
Everton |
4 |
300 |
Southampton |
3 |
268 |
Watford |
3 |
244 |
Swansea City |
3 |
243 |
Sevilla |
3 |
151 |
Burnley |
2 |
210 |
Besiktas |
2 |
180 |
Hoffenheim |
2 |
180 |
Augsburg |
2 |
180 |
Bordeaux |
2 |
180 |
Villarreal |
2 |
180 |
Rubin |
2 |
180 |
NK Maribor |
2 |
180 |
Wolves |
2 |
180 |
Real Madrid |
2 |
180 |
Borussia Dortmund |
2 |
180 |
Plymouth Argyle |
2 |
179 |
Norwich City |
2 |
135 |
Spartak Moscow |
2 |
98 |
Ludogorets |
2 |
97 |
Hull City |
1 |
120 |
Carlisle United |
1 |
90 |
Bolton Wanderers |
1 |
90 |
Cardiff City |
1 |
90 |
Derby |
1 |
90 |
Blackburn Rovers |
1 |
90 |
Huddersfield Town |
1 |
90 |
Leeds United |
1 |
90 |
Porto |
1 |
44 |
Basel |
1 |
44 |
Sion |
1 |
9 |
Bournemouth |
1 |
8 |
Red Star Belgrade |
1 |
4 |
Middlesbrough |
Total |
Started/substitutions |
118 |
Started |
79 |
On the bench |
23 |
Substitute |
19 |
Substituted |
Total |
Venue |
75 |
Home |
66 |
Away |
Goals per season
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Assists per season
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
25.08.2014 |
Manchester City |
Etihad Stadium |
League |
50 |
01.10.2015 |
Sion |
Anfield |
Europe |
100 |
27.12.2016 |
Stoke City |
Anfield |
League |
Milestone Goals
# |
Minute |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
60 |
31.08.2014 |
Tottenham |
White Hart Lane |
League |
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Sevilla |
2011-2012 |
Spain 1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Sevilla |
2012-2013 |
Spain 1 |
15 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
Sevilla |
2013-2014 |
Spain 1 |
29 |
3 |
44 |
3 |
Villarreal |
2019-2020 |
Spain 1 |
18 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
Total |
63 |
3 |
81 |
3 |