Liverpool and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has announced his retirement from football to end an incredible 18-year career.
Torres played an integral role in Spain's golden era, helping them to become European champions and win the World Cup.
The Spaniard announced his intent to speak to the media about his decision at a press conference in Tokyo on Sunday.
“After 18 exciting years, the time has come to put an end to my football career,” the 35-year-old said.
An icon at his boyhood club Atletico Madrid, with more than 100 goals over two spells, Torres burst on to the world scene with a scintillating spell at Liverpool in the Premier League.
His form earned him a big-money move to Chelsea, but he failed to live up to his £50m price tag.
He did contribute to the Blues winning the Champions League, a trophy that would elude him and Atletico Madrid in 2016, losing in the final against bitter rivals Real Madrid.
That came after a brief stint at AC Milan., which again proved disappointing after much fanfare upon his arrival.
He left Atletico in 2018 to join Japan’s Sagan Tosu but has failed to make an impact in the J-League side, scoring just four goals last year and failing to register at all in 2019.
Torres made his Spain debut in 2003 and scored the winning goal in the 2008 European Championship final against Germany before helping his country win their first World Cup in 2010.
He was the top scorer at Euro 2012 as Spain successfully defended their title and scored 38 goals in 110 appearances for his country in total, making him Spain’s country’s third-highest goalscorer behind David Villa (59) and Raul (44).
Torres enjoyed his the most prolific spell at Liverpool between 2007 and 2011, netting 81 goals in 142 games across all competitions.
He moved to Chelsea from Liverpool for a then British record fee of 50 million pounds ($63.49 million), and won the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League with the London club.
