After 11 seasons in MLS and a playing career that stretched nearly 20 years, veteran midfielder Javier Morales announced his retirement on social media on Thursday.
Morales, 38, spent 10 seasons with Real Salt Lake, from 2007-16. While there, he won the 2009 MLS Cup, and reached the final of the 2010-11 Concacaf Champions League, as well as the finals of the 2013 U.S. Open Cup and 2013 MLS Cup. In 248 MLS regular season games at RSL, he scored 49 goals and 81 assists.
In 2017, he moved to FC Dallas, where he notched a goal and two assists in seven games, to enter the "50-50 club" for MLS players who have scored at least 50 goals and assists, becoming the 17th player in MLS history to accomplish that. (Two more players have since joined the "50-50 club.")
At his peak, Morales was one of the best playmakers in MLS, orchestrating from the top of the midfield diamond in Jason Kreis' possession-oriented approach at RSL.
Prior to joining RSL, Morales played primarily in his native Argentina, featuring for Lanus and Arsenal de Sarandi each on two separate stints, as well as Newell's Old Boys and Instituto de Cordoba. Before coming to MLS, he played briefly in Spain for Canary Island club UD Vecindario.
Real Salt Lake offered a tribute to their player on social media following his announcement:
