| Name: | Fernando Torres |
| Nationality: | Spanish |
| Date of Birth: | 20/03/1984 |
| Height: | 6' 0" (183cm) |
| Weight: | 11st 0lbs (70.0kg) |
| Previous | |
| Clubs: | Liverpool, Atletico Madr |
| Position: | Striker |
Chelsea career
On moving to Stamford Bridge, Fernando Torres became the first striker to wear the number 9 jersey since Hernan Crespo in the 2005/06 season, but took 14 games before he found the net, a joyously received effort on a sodden Stamford Bridge pitch against West Ham.
On moving to Stamford Bridge, Fernando Torres became the first striker to wear the number 9 jersey since Hernan Crespo in the 2005/06 season, but took 14 games before he found the net, a joyously received effort on a sodden Stamford Bridge pitch against West Ham.
It remained his only goal for the Blues that season but with a rare summer of recuperation following, hopes are high that 2011/12 will see the Fernando Torres that tormented Chelsea so much when he was wearing red.
Form in the new campaign has been encouraging, an opening day display at Stoke lacked only a goal, which came at Old Trafford in a 3-1 defeat against Manchester United, but his afternoon will be remembered not for the instinctive flick over David De Gea's head but the missed open goal that followed in the closing stages.
The Spaniard bounced back quickly to open the scoring against Swansea with a smart touch and finish though, but he was then sent off, forcing him to miss three domestic games. In Europe though, he then netted twice in the 5-0 Champions League victory over Genk before enduring a frustrating spell in front of goal throughout the autumn and winter period.
His effort and general play in creating for team mates ensured the supporters continued to stick with him though, and recent positive performances have been rewarded, with three goals in a fortnight at the end of March and a crucial assist for Salomon Kalou in Lisbon against Benfica.
Pre-Chelsea
Aged 26 at the time of his move from Liverpool, he had netted 65 goals in 102 league appearances for the Reds and 81 in 142 games in all competitions.
Aged 26 at the time of his move from Liverpool, he had netted 65 goals in 102 league appearances for the Reds and 81 in 142 games in all competitions.
He originally moved to the Premier League aged 23 having spent the previous 12 years at Atletico Madrid, a club based a few miles from the town of his birth on the outskirts of the capital city.
In his time at Atletico, 'El Nino' (The Kid - his nickname in Spain) was the club's youngest player and youngest captain. His debut came aged 17 and he took the armband two years later.
His first full season there was a quiet start with just six goals from 36 league appearances, but that became 13 from 29 games the next year and the 20-goal mark was reached in 2003/04, Fernando's most prolific season in Spain and the year of his debut for the national side.
The player's subsequent emergence on the international stage and 75 goals in 174 Spanish top-flight games meant many clubs across Europe were after his signature and he chose to work under compatriot Rafael Benitez at Liverpool.
The transfer in July 2007 was valued at approximately £20 million, Luis Garcia going the other way, and Fernando's first goal for the Merseysiders was against Chelsea at Anfield, opening the scoring in a 1-1 draw after getting the better of Tal Ben-Haim. It was the first of seven goals in seven games against Chelsea. It is his best return against any English club.
He scored three hat-tricks on the way to 33 goals in his first season in England, becoming the first Liverpool player since a previous wearer of the number 9 shirt, Robbie Fowler, to break the 30-goal mark in one season.
His second season returned 17 goals (injury reducing his number of appearances) as his side finished second, three points and one place above Chelsea in the league table. In the 2009/10 season, despite Liverpool dropping down the table to seventh, Fernando accumulated a very healthy 22 goals in 32 games.
Before joining the Blues midway through 2010/11, Fernando made 26 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 11 times including both goals in Chelsea's November defeat at Anfield.
International career
He headed to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 already a winner of the European Championships at senior international level.
He headed to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010 already a winner of the European Championships at senior international level.
In his teenage years, Fernando had achieved top-scorer status for his country in both the Under 16 and Under 19 European Championships and he scored his first goal for the senior side against Italy aged 20, seven months after his first cap.
In the 2006 World Cup in Germany he scored three times in the group stage but Spain were beaten by France in the first knockout round. However there was no stopping his nation two years later at Euro 2008, Fernando scoring once on the way to the final and the only goal in that match in Vienna as Germany were defeated. It was Spain's first major piece of silverware since 1964.
In South Africa, Fernando struggled for full fitness and form having undergone surgery in April. As a result, Barcelona's Pedro took his place for a semi-final triumph over Germany.
Coach Vicente Del Bosque also left him out of the starting line-up for the final. Instead he came on in extra-time in the 1-0 win over Holland although he tore a muscle before the end.
No longer an automatic starter, he remains an important squad member for the Spanish, who comfortably tied up their place in next summer's European Championships, to be played in Ukraine and Poland.
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