Torres (24 page)

‘I suppose I’d have to get used to the style of football that they play in the Spain team much more quickly. It’s more elaborate than how they play at Liverpool and there’s more touching the ball. Plus changing your mindset isn’t easy when, like in the World Cup qualifiers, you only have two or three days to train. Switching from the mentality in the
English system to the one in the Spanish Liga is something I still have to sort out.’

‘He’s very approachable and like another team-mate. He’s brought in a much more relaxed atmosphere.’

‘I don’t think I could decide. A World Cup is something that’s in every footballer’s mind, even more so now that it seems achievable and it’s just round the corner, but winning the Champions with my team would be really great. Either way then.’

‘It’s hard to say. I think that, as things stand, the English league is the most competitive in the world because it’s got four great teams that can go all the way in Europe’s biggest tournament. In the Liga this year there’s been one team like Barcelona, which has been better than the English ones, but that’s been one team and the other three semi-finalists were English teams, and we also lost to an English team. I think the Premier is stronger at the moment. It’s a league where Spanish players can fit in, as can others from all over the world. Each one has its moments though, and there have been seasons where the Italian League has been the best and now it’s the English, but things can change.’

‘For me it would obviously be Gerrard, because I see him every day, though I think Leo Messi deserves the honour more than anyone else. He’s been the best this year. He’s won everything.’

The request comes from Rubén Calvo, a ten-year-old lad with fair hair and big green eyes, clutching a Liverpool shirt. Fernando has no problem agreeing to this. He hasn’t forgotten the promise he made years back to Flori, his mother. That day, after watching the Spanish national side train in Boadilla del Monte, Torres went up to the internationals to get their autographs along with some other boys. No joy. He got into such a stew about it that he promised his mother that, if he should ever make it into their boots, he would never deny anyone a photo or an autograph. Now that he has arrived, El Niño does not forget, and
el niño
, with fair hair and big green eyes, smiles.

Full name: Fernando José Torres Sanz
Place and Date of Birth: Madrid, 20 March 1984
Parents: Flori and José. Sister: Mari Paz. Brother: Israel
Married: 27 May 2009
Wife: Olalla Domínguez Liste
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 78 kg

As a junior, played for Parque 84, Mario’s Holanda and Rayo 13
At eleven years old, scouted to Atlético de Madrid

Debut: 27 May 2001 v Leganés (home) Second Division
First goal: 4 June 2001 v Albacete (away) Second Division

Debut: 11 August 2007 v Aston Villa (away) Premier League
First goal: 18 August 2007 v Chelsea (home) Premier League

Debut: 6 September 2003 v Portugal (away)
First goal: 28 April 2004 v Italy (away)
Caps 67 Goals 22

European Championship 2008
European Championship Under-19, 2002
European Championship Under-16, 2001

MVP for the Final of the 2008 European Championships
Premier League Silver Boot Winner (2007–2008)
MVP for the European Under-19s (2002) and Golden Ball winner
MVP for the Euro Under-16 (2001) and Golden Ball winner

The Times

Independent

Guardian

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Daily Mirror

Daily Mail

Liverpool Echo

Corriere della Sera

La Repubblica

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