Gerard Moreno makes the summit

He persisted because of the position and because of a ball that came from heaven, he kept the ball with his body, cut inwards, raised his head and nailed the goal, flat and adjusted to the opposite post to give a good account of Valladolid, ensure the European presence Villarreal for another year and, incidentally, become the player with the most goals in the First Division in the history of the yellow club. Gerard Moreno (Santa Perpètua de la Mogoda, Barcelona; 29 years old) has signed 55 goals in 126 games for the 54 that Diego Forlán (in 106) and Giuseppe Rossi (in 136) achieved. Nothing new in a player who has not stopped scoring since he put on some boots, although surprising if one takes into account that he did not have it easy until he reached the elite and that he has fully exploded in his maturity. Once settled in La Cerámica,His numbers are stratospheric and he claims a position in the

Luis Enrique's

eleven

for the Eurocup.

Still of the youngest age, Espanyol signed him because he already stood out in his love affair with the goal, then at Damm. "He played the same as now, he was a scorer with very good movements, very clever and, above all, a good companion," explains coach Lluís Planagumà, who led him in the blue and white quarry until he was 13 years old and met him again with the time at Villarreal C. Before that, Moreno had to earn the beans because when he entered youth, Espanyol threw him out when they understood that he did not have the body to succeed. So he went to Badalona and in the second year he broke the records of the National League category with 42 goals. Success that Madrid wanted to buy for La Fábrica. Villarreal beat him, a club with which he scored 35 goals in his first season and later became, successively,in the top scorer of Third and Second B. “I did not know if he would play in the subsidiary because that year the first team dropped and B, forced, also did it to Second B. That night he could feel sad for the club and why not he knew if he would make the leap. But we were both promoted to B and it has made a name again based on goals ”, Planagumà admits; "He has an innate talent for finding the right place and finishing at the right time."

At Villarreal they did not understand his football, first because he was loaned to Mallorca to play in the Second Division, where he gained momentum because he scored 12 goals to save the team from relegation.

“It was the reference, the one that kept us alive in the face of goal.

You could already see that quality that he now shows because what he touches is a goal, ”says Martí Riverola, now an Andorra player and a good friend of Moreno because every summer they go on vacation, the last to Ibiza.

Santa Perpètua de la Mogoda, town of Primera

Although he took his first steps in the town, Damm - a leading club in the training of players in Catalonia - soon discovered that Moreno was a different child, capable of scoring goals from wherever he went despite his small size. To their misfortune it did not last long because Espanyol went to speak with their parents. "At first they were a bit scared ...", the player told the Blue and White club magazine. But he soon got used to the change, happy to be ball boy in first-team games and to see his idol Tamudo. By then, it was already known throughout Santa Perpètua de la Mogoda.

It happens that it is a First-class town because now it also shows off its chest with Óscar Mingueza, Barcelona center-back, and his sister Ariadna, who has already debuted with the first team. "I followed Gerard when he was very young because his brother is one of my cousin's best friends and our parents got along well," says Mingueza; "And I saw him play at Badalona, ​​I followed him when he was at Mallorca, also when he came to Mini sometime, and I went to see him at Villarreal as well." Two heroes without capes for the people. "Well, we hope to be a reference for the youngest children so that they continue to fight and work for their dreams," says Mingueza.

After that, Moreno returned to La Cerámica, was screwed in the first team and on the bench, reserve of Baptistao and Bakambu, until they decided to sell him to Espanyol for 1.5 million, although with the condition of keeping half of his file federative. Enough to be able to buy it back years later -after four attempts and 20 million-, when he had already become the idol of many

parakeets such

as Tamudo was for him, a capital footballer because he started and finished many of the team's plays, also cheered by his tyranny to Barcelona. "I would like to retire at Espanyol," he recently acknowledged for a YouTube radio program.

But for that he still has because he is in his best moment, as he recently recognized in a concentration of the national team. "The individual brilliance is also good for the team and for Gerard, who helps us to be better," said Emery from the Villarreal bench. Rightly so because with his 22 goals - 28 if you add those of the Europa League - he is the seventh in the fight for the Golden Boot, with Lewandowski as the outstanding leader with 39 goals, chased by Messi (29), Ronaldo (28) , Haaland (25), Mbappé (25) and André Silva (25).

It does not resist, in any case, compared to any other national striker.

Aspas (Celta) and Rafa Mir (Huesca) count 13 goals.

Behind are Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad) and Roger Martí (Levante) with 11, Borja Mayoral reaches 10 with Roma, as well as Santi Mina with Celta, and Morata remains at nine with Juve.

In the national team he counts five goals and four assists in 10 games.

100 million clause

Now he is only two goals away from being the top scorer in Villarreal's history among all competitions, adding 80 to Rossi's 82. He has two La Liga duels left - this Sunday against Sevilla (18.30,

Movistar

) and the last match against Madrid in Valdebebas - in addition to the European final against Manchester United. Then it will be left to see if he is still at Villarreal, who now values ​​his performance and put a 100 million clause on him. Fixed for Unai Emery, because in the five duels that Gerard Moreno has missed in the course, the yellow team only won one and was left without seeing the door in two.

Luis Enrique takes note, now that the Eurocup is just around the corner.

"Now there is no other like him", Planagumà sentence.

“He is a

top

player

worldwide.

And it can also be adapted to any attacking position because of how good and smart it is, ”adds Martí Riverola.

"In the selection I feel like one more", replies, humble, the striker.

The goal, as in Villarreal, seems his thing.

You can follow SPORTS on

Facebook

and

Twitter

, or sign up here to receive

our weekly newsletter

.