'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwb/2gAIAQEAAAAAgg//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAAAf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDEAAAAD//xAAfEAACAgICAwEAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIRBBIABSIxQWH/2gAIAQEAAT8AxOrx0JzAd2ykxLBUYwFbeV+7Gp+VZ4/ouqY5kxlZSxKRIhoDr+c//8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDERT/2gAIAQIBAT8A2yp0j//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAEf/aAAgBAwEBPwAdv//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
There are certain players who come into a league with a heavy price tag or as a marquee signing. Andre Francisco Moritz came with neither.
The 28-year-old was born in the small town of Florianopolis in Brazil and came up via the youth system at local club Avai FC, after which he signed his first professional contract with SC Internacional. Playing as an attacking midfielder, he turned out for various clubs in Turkey and England, most notably Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace, helping the latter gain promotion to the Premier League.
Trending
He finally settled with Korean side Pohang Steelers from where Mumbai City FC loaned him for the inaugural season of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). After signing for the Mumbai-based club, the ecstatic attacker said, “They (agents) said that coach Peter Reid would like to have me in the team for the ISL. They sent me the offer and I immediately signed it. It all happened in a day's time.”
He came on as a second-half substitute in the inaugural match of the season against Atletico de Kolkata. However, it was his contribution in Mumbai’s first home match against local rivals FC Pune City that put him in the limelight. Scoring a brace going into the half, Moritz completed his hat-trick - the only one in the league so far - helping Mumbai establish themselves as serious contenders for the title.
However things haven’t gone Mumbai’s way since as they find themselves at the bottom of the table. Mumbai’s assistant coach Steve Darby remarked, “Anybody who thinks that we will drop players like (Nicolas) Anelka or (Andre) Moritz is a very brave man because you will have to bring two world-class players in to replace those two.”
Anelka may be the marquee signing for Mumbai but it is Moritz who needs to step up. Registering only a single assist since his whirlwind performance against Pune, the Brazilian knows very well that his performance in the return fixture will be important if Mumbai are to progress in the tournament.
