By Daily Sports on August 24, 2019

Spanish World Cup-winning striker Fernando Torres has played his final professional match before retirement.

The former Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea forward, 35, finished his career in Japan with Sagan Tosu.

They lost his final game 6-1 to a Vissel Kobe side featuring former team-mates Andres Iniesta and David Villa.

Iniesta wrote Torres an open letter, in which he said “it’s been a wonderful journey, it has taken us to every corner of the world”.

Torres made 110 appearances for Spain and won the World Cup in 2010, as well as the European Championships in 2008 and 2012, scoring in both finals.

“To say goodbye to football next to my dear friend Iniesta is something I could never imagine,” Torres said at the time.

“Also my friend David Villa, with who I share probably the best moments in Spanish football history.

“I tried to find an iconic moment to play my final game and I think that is perfect timing.”

Iniesta and Torres have been friends since they played together for Spain’s youth teams, with Torres writing on a shirt for Iniesta that someday they would “win the World Cup together”.

In a letter published in El Mundo, Iniesta said it was “beautifully strange” that life “brought us all the way to Japan to say goodbye”.

“Football brought us together more than 20 years ago, when we were children. Well, you will always be El Nino. And it will never separate us,” added the former Barcelona midfielder.

“We began away from spotlights and cameras until we came to share thousands of experiences before winning a World Cup for our country.

“When we meet in Spain, I’ll show you that shirt, that treasure that nobody else discovered. Although, it is true, there is no greater treasure than your friendship, Fernando.” (BBC)

•Photo shows striker Fernando Torres with the ball during his days with Atletico Madrid of Spain

Source Daily Sports

Posted August 24, 2019

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