Sergio Elías Morgado Rodríguez (born 16 September 1963), also known simply as Sergio, is a Spanish former footballer who played as a centre back.

Sergio Morgado
Personal information
Full name Sergio Elías Morgado Rodríguez
Date of birth (1963-09-16) 16 September 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth Badajoz, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
Badajoz
Atlético Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1986 Atlético Madrid B 73 (3)
1985–1990 Atlético Madrid 105 (0)
1990–1993 Español 53 (0)
1993–1995 Badajoz 32 (0)
Total 263 (3)
International career
1985–1986 Spain U21 4 (0)
1987 Spain U23 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played 158 games in La Liga for Atlético Madrid and Español over eight consecutive seasons. In Segunda División, he added 105 games and 3 goals for Atlético Madrileño and Badajoz at the start and end of his career.

In the 2000s, Morgado worked as a director of football at Espanyol and Albacete.

Club career

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Born in Badajoz in Extremadura, Morgado came through the youth ranks of Atlético Madrid after arriving from CD Badajoz.[1] He made his debut for the reserve team in the Segunda División on 6 February 1983 in a 1–0 win at their Barcelona equivalents.[2] In June, his team won the division's Copa de la Liga, and he played every minute of the 3–2 aggregate win over Deportivo de La Coruña.[3][4]

On 6 November 1985, Morgado made his first-team debut in a 1–0 home win over Bangor City in the first round first leg of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.[5] His first La Liga game was on 1 December in a goalless draw away to Real Zaragoza.[6] His only goal of 136 total games for the main squad came on 29 May 1986, in a 2–0 win at the Vicente Calderón Stadium against Sestao River in the second leg of the first round of the Copa de la Liga.[7] He played the full 120 minues of the 1987 Copa del Rey final, which his team lost on penalties to Real Sociedad.[8]

In July 1990, Morgado was linked with a move to Español, and said he would look forward to playing under their new manager Luis Aragonés, who had promoted him to the Atlético first team.[9] He signed a three-year deal and was presented on the same day as Juan Carlos Núñez Benicio [ca].[1] He was a regular starter in his first season, sidelined by a knee injury in his second, and in his third season he was dropped by manager Novoa before being reinstated by Juanjo Díaz for the final five games.[10] In his final game on 29 June 1993, the Pericos were relegated after losing a playoff to Racing Santander.[11]

Morgado returned to his hometown club Badajoz in 1993, with the club in the Segunda División. He made his debut on 2 September in a Copa del Rey third-round game away to Peña Deportiva (3–0 win), followed by a 2–0 home win over Toledo three days later on his league bow.[12]

International career

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Morgado played four games for Spain at under-21 level, starting on 11 June 1985 in a 1–0 win away to Iceland in a European qualifier.[13] In late 1987, he played in defeats to Sweden and France for the under-23 team as they failed to qualify for the Olympic tournament.[14][15]

Post-playing career

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In April 2001, Morgado returned to the renamed Espanyol on a three-year deal, as technical secretary.[16] He arrived the following month as sporting director after his contract expired at Badajoz.[17] He and manager Javier Clemente were fired in November 2003, with the latter defending their signings by pointing to the club's economic crisis.[18]

In July 2009, Morgado was hired as director of football at Albacete, instantly appointing Pepe Murcia as manager.[19] His two-year contract was terminated in February 2010, as the club sought to reinstate Antonio López Alfaro.[20]

Personal life

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Morgado's son César Morgado [es] is also a footballer in the same position. Born in 1993 while his father was playing in the city of Barcelona, he represented several third-tier clubs, including Badajoz.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b Cubero, Cristina; Miserachs, Jaume (18 July 1990). "Sergio y Núñez, presentados" [Sergio and Núñez, presented]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  2. ^ Sanchis, Alberto (7 February 1983). "0-1: Curso de antifútbol a cargo del Atl. Madrileño" [0-1: Lesson in anti-football from Atl. Madrileño]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  3. ^ "1-3: At. Madrileño sorprendió al Coruña en la ida" [1-3: At. Madrileño surprised Coruña in the first leg]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 26 June 1983. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  4. ^ Alcaide, J. (30 June 1983). "Campeones... Los "Colchoneros"" [Champions... The "Colchoneros"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  5. ^ Alcaide, Jesús (7 November 1985). "1-0: El Atlético cumplió el trámite" [1-0: Atlético completed the procedure]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  6. ^ "0-0: ¡Y todos felices!" [0-0: And everyone is happy!]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 2 December 1985. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  7. ^ Alcaide, Jesús (30 May 1986). "1-0: Sin problemas el Atlético ante el Sestao" [1-0: Atlético without problems against Sestao]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  8. ^ Vicente, Álvaro (2 April 2021). "La Romareda: la guinda a una generación irrepetible" [La Romareda: the finale of an unrepeatable generation]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  9. ^ Román, R. (7 July 1990). "Sergio: "Con Luis, encantado"" [Sergio: "With Luis, excited"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  10. ^ Juárez, María Carmen (25 July 1993). "Tres temporadas de angustia" [Three seasons of agony]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  11. ^ Cánovas, Manuel C. (30 June 1993). "El Español se gana a pulso el descenso" [Español earn relegation]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  12. ^ a b Pérez, Javi (13 September 2018). "Morgado, otro estreno 25 años después" [Morgado, another debut 25 years later]. Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  13. ^ Perearnau, F. (12 June 1985). "0-1: El gol de Pineda salvó un partido para olvidar" [0-1: Pineda's goal saved a match to forget]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  14. ^ "2-0: España dijo adiós a Seul" [2-0: Spain said goodbye to Seoul]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). EFE. 24 September 1987. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  15. ^ "1-2: España pierde y ya es última" [1-2: Spain lose and are now in last]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 14 October 1987. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  16. ^ Canovas, M. C. (20 April 2001). "Sergio Morgado, nuevo secretario técnico" [Sergio Morgado, new technical secretary]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  17. ^ Cánovas, M. C.; Sans, Gabriel (24 April 2001). "Sergio, a mediados de mayo" [Sergio, in mid-May]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Sergio, ´víctima´ extremeña en el Espanyol" [Sergio, Extremaduran 'victim' at Espanyol]. El Periódico Extremadura (in Spanish). 6 November 2003. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Pepe Murcia, nuevo entrenador del Albacete". Marca (in Spanish). EFE. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  20. ^ "El Albacete despide al pacense Sergio Morgado" [Albacete fire Badajoz-born Sergio Morgado]. Hoy (in Spanish). 11 February 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
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