Miguel Torres (footballer, born 1986)

Miguel Torres Gómez (Spanish pronunciation: [miˈɣel ˈtores]; born 28 January 1986) is a Spanish former footballer. Usually a right back, he was equally at ease on the other flank.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Torres and the second or maternal family name is Gómez.

Miguel Torres
Torres in action for Getafe in 2012
Personal information
Full name Miguel Torres Gómez
Date of birth (1986-01-28) 28 January 1986
Place of birth Madrid, Spain
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Full back
Youth career
1998–2005 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Real Madrid C 34 (1)
2006–2007 Real Madrid B 19 (0)
2006–2009 Real Madrid 52 (0)
2009–2013 Getafe 102 (1)
2013–2014 Olympiacos 10 (0)
2014–2019 Málaga 70 (0)
Total 287 (2)
National team
2007–2009 Spain U21 12 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played 223 La Liga matches over 11 seasons, in representation of Real Madrid, Getafe and Málaga. He also competed professionally in Greece, with Olympiacos.

Club career

Real Madrid

Born in Madrid, Torres joined Real Madrid's junior teams at the age of 12. He made his first-team debut against Écija Balompié as a starter, in a Copa del Rey game on 25 October 2006, because of injuries to defenders Fabio Cannavaro, Cicinho and Míchel Salgado. He also played in the return leg as a substitute after replacing Sergio Ramos in the 80th minute,[1] and started in both cup matches against Real Betis.[2][3]

Torres made his La Liga debut in his fourth consecutive appearance for Real Madrid, playing the whole 90 minutes against Real Zaragoza on 14 January 2007 (1–0 home win).[4] He kept his place in the side the following week against RCD Mallorca, with that performance leading coach Fabio Capello to state: "It is not easy to find a player with as much personality and talent in attack and defence as Torres".[5]

On 10 February 2007, against Real Sociedad, Torres made his first assist: after a quick run on the left flank he provided a left-footed (he was right-footed by nature) cross for Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose header found the net as Madrid came from behind to win it away 2–1.[6]

With Torres as an important piece (first appearing in round 18, he only missed three matches until the end of the campaign, starting in all but one), Real Madrid won its 30th league title – however, he was unable to play in the decisive game against Mallorca due to a hamstring tear.[7] He signed his first professional contract on 12 July 2007, joining the main squad permanently from Real Madrid Castilla.[8]

Although Torres appeared in more league matches in the following season, he would start significantly less (as Madrid repeated league honours), primarily due to the signing of Argentine Gabriel Heinze.[9] During the 2008–09 campaign, still under Bernd Schuster first and later Juande Ramos, he did not fare any better;[10][11] additionally, he switched back from number 38 to 22 which he previously wore with Castilla.[12]

Getafe

For 2009–10, Torres changed to No. 2 following Salgado's departure to Blackburn Rovers. However, on 31 August – transfer deadline day – he moved to neighbours Getafe CF on a five-year contract, with Real having the option to rebuy in the first two.[13]

In the 2011–12 season, under new manager Luis García, Torres was challenged by new signing Juan Valera for the right-back position, but still appeared in more than 20 league matches as the Madrid outskirts team again retained their division status. On 16 April 2012 he scored his first goal as a senior, netting the opener in a 5–1 home win against Sevilla FC.[14]

Olympiacos and Málaga

On 9 August 2013, Torres joined Olympiacos F.C. from Greece on a three-year deal worth a reported €500,000, reuniting with Míchel who also coached him at Getafe and Real Madrid Castilla.[15] After only ten competitive games he returned to Spain's top flight a year later, signing a one-year contract at Málaga CF with the option of two more.[16]

During his later spell at the La Rosaleda Stadium, Torres suffered several injury problems and was also deemed surplus to requirements by manager Juan Ramón López Muñiz.[17] On 4 July 2019, the 33-year-old announced his retirement from football.[18]

International career

Torres made his debut for the Spain under-21 team on 6 February 2007 in a 2–2 draw against England,[19] remaining a regular in subsequent fixtures.

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[20]
Club Season League Cup Europe Totals
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Madrid B 2006–07 Segunda División 1900000190
Real Madrid 2006–07 La Liga 1804030250
2007–08 2003030260
2008–09 1400010150
Total 5207070660
Getafe 2009–10 La Liga 2605000310
2010–11 3202050390
2011–12 2310000231
2012–13 2104000250
Total 1021110501181
Olympiacos 2013–14 Super League Greece 1000000100
Málaga 2014–15 La Liga 1603000190
2015–16 2301000240
2016–17 2201000230
2017–18 80000080
2018–19 Segunda División 10000010
Total 7005000750
Career total 25312301202881

Honours

Real Madrid

Olympiacos

References
  1. Écija penetra en la galaxia (Écija enters galaxy); Diario AS, 26 October 2006 (in Spanish)
  2. Santamaría, Jordi (12 January 2007). "El Madrid apuesta por los jóvenes pero no ve puerta" [Madrid bet on youngsters but goal eludes them] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  3. Astruells, Andrés (19 January 2007). "Ridículo Madrid" [Ridiculous Madrid] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  4. Llamas, Fernando (14 January 2007). "La tesis 'post-galáctica' da crédito a Capello" ['Post-galactic' thesis gives credit to Capello] (in Spanish). El Mundo. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  5. "Capello: 'Hemos ganado con mérito'" [Capello: 'We deserved to win'] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  6. Real Sociedad 1–2 Real Madrid Archived 28 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine; Santiago Bernabéu, 12 February 2007 (in Spanish)
  7. "R. Madrid 3–1 Mallorca" (in Spanish). El Mundo. 17 June 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  8. García, Daniel (13 July 2007). "Torres firmó su contrato profesional hasta 2012" [Torres signed his professional contract until 2012] (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  9. "Schuster manda a Saviola a la grada" [Schuster sends Saviola to the stands] (in Spanish). El Confidencial. 18 September 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  10. "Un problema más para Schuster" [Another problem for Schuster] (in Spanish). La Razón. 8 November 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  11. "'De la Red pensaba que tenía más amigos'" ['De la Red thought he had more friends'] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  12. "Biografía" [Biography] (in Spanish). Official website. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  13. Miguel Torres jugará en el Getafe las próximas cinco temporadas (Miguel Torres will play in Getafe the next five seasons); Marca, 31 August 2009 (in Spanish)
  14. Five-goal Getafe crush Sevilla; ESPN Soccernet, 16 April 2012
  15. Miguel Torres joins Míchel at Olympiacos; UEFA, 9 August 2013
  16. Ballesteros, Jesús (14 August 2014). "Miguel Torres ya es jugador del Málaga" [Miguel Torres is already a Málaga player] (in Spanish). Marca. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  17. Suárez, César (30 April 2019). "El fin de la pesadilla y la nueva vida de Miguel Torres" [The end of the nightmare and Miguel Torres' new life] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  18. Fernández, Juanje (4 July 2019). "Miguel Torres dice adiós al fútbol" [Miguel Torres says goodbye to football] (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  19. Rae, Richard (7 February 2007). "Lita arrives late and does his level best for Pearce's England". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  20. "Miguel Torres". Soccerway. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
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