“THANKFUL FOR BEING BACK ON THIS GREAT TEAM.” –DAYRO MORENO

TIJUANA –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente will have Colombian forward Dayro Moreno on its roster for the LIGA Bancomer MX 2014 Apertura. Moreno returns to the Xoloitzcuintles where he played during the team’s first tournament in the First Division in the 2011 Apertura season.

The Colombian once again wore the Club Tijuana jersey Thursday July 10 during a news conference introducing the team’s new players at Estadio Caliente.

“I first want to thank the team administration and team president Jorgealberto Hank, the Sporting Director Ignacio Palou and coach Cesar Farias and his staff for having the confidence in me to be here again with the Xoloitzcuintles,” Moreno said. “We know that Club Tijuana is a very respected team for the things it has done in a few years and it has been a champion in the First Division. Wearing the Xoloitzcuintles jersey gives us a bigger challenge on and off the field.”

 Moreno, who scored five goals in 12 matches, recalled his first stint with the Xoloitzcuintles in the 2011 Apertura.

“When the tournament started, everything was going well on the field and everything,” Moreno said. “But for things that happen in soccer I couldn’t stay here but I’ve always been thankful for being here. As a player, that is very motivating and now I come back with a bigger challenge now that the Club Tijuana seal has a star on it and the responsibility is a greater one.

“I want to tell the fans to wait and see more of what I did the first time here in Tijuana, give them things to be happy about. I left knowing in my heart that Tijuana always supported me when I came off the field.”

Moreno was born Sept. 16, 1985 in the Colombian city of Chicoral. He is a versatile and agile forward with a powerful shot and has great field vision. He comes to the Xoloitzcuintles after playing in the Colombian First Division where he was the leading scorer twice with Club Millonarios in 2013 with 16 goals and 11 in the 2014 Apertura. Moreno, 28, has international experience. He made his professional debut in Colombia with Once Caldas. He won the 2004 Copa Libertadores with that club, beating Boca Juniors of Argentina in the final.

In 2006 he was loaned to Paranaense of Brazil but returned to Once Caldas in 2007. He also played with Steaua Bucarest in Romania and in the UEFA Champions League.

After his time in Europe, Moreno returned to Once Caldas in 2010 where he once again played in the Copa Libertadores in which he had good results. He was named the best player in Colombia by the national press. He was the highest scorer with 16 goals in that tournament. He also scored 16 goals in 2007 to win the same title.

Moreno also has experience with the Colombian national team. He played with Colombia in the 2011 Copa America in Argentina. He scored for Colombia during 2010 World Cup qualifying in a 2-1 win against Argentina in Bogota. At the youth levels, he played in the 2005 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.  

Moreno comes back to Tijuana looking for great things with the Xoloitzcuintles in the 2014 Apertura of the LIGA Bancomer MX.