Le scommesse di Robert Moreno: i giocatori che ha scoperto e lanciato verso il successo
Robert Moreno’s bets: the players he discovered and launched to stardom
From the Spanish National Team to Monaco, Granada and Sochi: a consistent pattern of trust in young talent
Spain 7-0 Malta: the historic night
On 15 November 2019, at the Estadio Ramón de Carranza in Cádiz, Spain crushed Malta 7-0 in a Euro 2020 qualifier. But what was truly historic about that night was not the scoreline — it was what happened in the second half.
Robert Moreno brought on Dani Olmo and Pau Torres from the bench, two players making their senior international debuts. Both scored. It was the first time in 30 years —since 15 November 1989, exactly— that two debutants had scored in the same game for Spain.
📅 Historic coincidence: The previous milestone dated to exactly the same day, 15 November, but in 1989. Thirty years later, Moreno repeated history — a fact that speaks volumes about his trust in the academy and young talent.
Dani Olmo — From Dinamo Zagreb to world-class
Dani Olmo
Debut: 15 November 2019 · Spain 7-0 Malta
Moreno called up a Dani Olmo who was playing at Dinamo Zagreb, well away from the spotlights of the major leagues. He gave him the opportunity to debut with the senior squad, and Olmo responded by scoring two minutes after coming on. He was the youngest Catalan debutant to score in an official Spain match in over three decades. Today, Olmo is a key player at FC Barcelona and Euro 2024 champion, where he was named Player of the Tournament.
Pau Torres — From Villarreal to defensive reference
Pau Torres
Debut: 15 November 2019 · Spain 7-0 Malta
Pau Torres came on and scored 59 seconds after stepping onto the pitch with a header from a corner. A dream debut for the Villarreal CF centre-back, who would go on to win the 2021 Europa League and sign for Aston Villa in the Premier League, accumulating over 20 international caps.
Gerard Moreno — His senior international debut
Gerard Moreno
Senior debut: 2019 · Euro 2020 qualifying phase
Gerard Moreno was already an established striker in LaLiga with Villarreal. Robert Moreno gave him his step up to the senior squad, trusting that his form deserved the chance at the highest level. He went on to become a regular international: Europa League 2021 Pichichi and key figure at Euro 2020.
An unbeaten qualification campaign
Beyond the individual debuts, Robert Moreno’s spell as manager yielded a compelling statistic: Spain qualified for Euro 2020 without losing a single match. In 9 games as official national team manager (12 in total counting interim duties), the record was 7 wins and 2 draws.
AS Monaco — Tchouaméni and Fofana, rough diamonds
During his spell at AS Monaco (December 2019 – July 2020), Moreno worked with a squad in reconstruction. There he polished two midfielders who would end up at the world’s biggest clubs:
Aurélien Tchouaméni
AS Monaco → Real Madrid (€80M) · France international
Tchouaméni arrived at Monaco as a young prospect from Bordeaux. Under Moreno he received minutes and trust in a competitive midfield. Today he is a Real Madrid starter and key player for the French national team, signed for €80 million.
Youssouf Fofana
AS Monaco → AC Milan · France international
Fofana also consolidated himself in Monaco’s midfield during Moreno’s spell, growing to become a France international and being signed by AC Milan. Another example of how Moreno’s development work produces elite players.
Granada CF — Academy players and strategic signings
Bryan Zaragoza
Granada CF → FC Bayern Munich · Spain international
Bryan Zaragoza had his first opportunities with Granada’s first team under Moreno’s direction. The winger eventually exploded onto the scene to the point of signing for Bayern Munich and debuting with the Spanish national team. A rough diamond Moreno spotted before many others.
💰 The economic impact: over €230 million generated
Moreno’s bets did not only transform sporting careers. They also generated an extraordinary economic impact for the clubs he worked at. From the national team to Monaco, from Granada to Sochi: in every single team, Robert Moreno bet on discovering, launching and developing young players. Not by coincidence. By method.
📈 Transfer breakdown
- Aurélien Tchouaméni — AS Monaco → Real Madrid — €80M (+€20M add-ons = €100M)
- Dani Olmo — RB Leipzig → FC Barcelona — €55M (+€7M add-ons = €62M)
- Pau Torres — Villarreal CF → Aston Villa — €37.5M
- Youssouf Fofana — AS Monaco → AC Milan — €25M
- Bryan Zaragoza — Granada CF → Bayern Munich — €13M (+€4M advance = €17M)
- Myrto Uzuni — Bought for €3M → Sold for €12M — Profit: +€9M
💡 Key insight: The clubs where Robert Moreno worked not only improved on the pitch —they generated transfer income exceeding €230 million. Moreno does not just build teams: he adds value to assets. He is a coach who makes players grow and, with them, the clubs.
That is not luck. That is vision, analysis and the courage to back the player nobody else sees.
