Major League Soccer is continuing its celebration of the 25th anniversary of its existence. Members of the Inter Miami family have played pivotal roles in the history of the league, including Jason Kreis. One of the ways Kreis’ MLS legacy endured has been with Inter Miami Academy coach Javier Morales, who he brought to the league when he was the head coach at Real Salt Lake (RSL). The Argentine midfielder left a lasting impact of his own on the league as both a standout midfielder and academy coach.
Morales – nicknamed “El Maestro” – began his professional career in his native Argentina, but a move to MLS with RSL in August 2007 helped him arrive at some of the most memorable moments of his career, beginning with a quick introduction to the league.
The attacking midfielder made his debut in a match against the Kansas City Wizards, shining right from the start with an assist 40 seconds into the proceedings; this set the record for fastest first assist in MLS history.
This moment set the tone for what was to come in his career in Salt Lake, as he eventually became the franchise’s all-time leader in assists with 81 to his name. Morales also retired as one of a select group of MLS players to register at least 50 goals and 50 assists in the league, at the time only the 17th player to do so.
His MLS career consisted of several standout moments and impressive personal and team accomplishments. In 2008 Morales completed his first full season in MLS, in which he guided RSL to its first-ever MLS Cup Playoffs on the strength of his 15 regular season assists. The team reached the Western Conference Finals in that season’s edition of the playoffs.
The next season, however, was Morales’ favorite. The Buenos Aires born saw a downturn in end product, finishing the season with five assists, but that didn’t change the significance of the season for him as he helped RSL lift the 2009 MLS Cup trophy. This MLS title remains the only one in club history.
“My most memorable MLS moment was winning the title with Real Salt Lake in Seattle in 2009,” said Morales. “To have lifted the trophy with my teammates was definitely the most memorable moment.”
His list of team accomplishments doesn’t stop there, either, as he helped Salt Lake reach the finals of the 2011 Concacaf Champions League, the 2013 MLS Cup and the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. He also etched his name in the individual record books, as he was named an MLS All-Star twice, MLS Best XI once and RSL team MVP three times. Morales had his number 11 retired by Salt Lake not long after he retired.
His influence on the league continues beyond his playing days as he became an academy coach upon retiring from the league. He began as the U-13 coach for FC Dallas, where he played for one season in 2017, before reuniting with Kreis at inter Miami in early 2019.
As the coach of the Inter Miami U-17 team he has helped shape some of South Florida’s premier youth talent and guided the team to wins over MLS academy opposition including FC Dallas, Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids.
Morales’ impact on MLS will continue to be felt both for the remarkable feats he accomplished as a player, and what he does as a coach to shape the league’s next generation of players.
