The centre-back from Vila-real has been awarded a gold badge
Pau Torres was presented with a shiny gold badge by Villarreal CF president Fernando Roig during half-time of the Legends Match at the Estadio de la Cerámica on Saturday 25th March.
Pau Francisco Torres, historia viva del Villarreal CF
This distinction, which has never before been awarded to a Villarreal CF player, commemorates the yellow academy graduate as an emblematic player in the history of Villarreal CF, a player who perfectly represents the values of the club and, at the same time, a source of immense pride for the city of Vila-real.
Born in Vila-real on 16th January 1997, Pau Torres is in his 20th year at Villarreal CF. The Vila-real native, who is the player with the most appearances in all teams of the club (including youth teams), began his career in youth football in 2003, when he was only six years old.
And 13 years later, on 22nd December 2016, he fulfilled a lifelong dream: to make his debut in an official match for his hometown team. Pau Torres took up the baton from other players from Vila-real who made their debut for the Submarine, such as César Arzo, Héctor Font and Xisco Nadal, and played his first minutes for Villarreal CF in the second leg of the Copa del Rey Round of 32 against CD Toledo.
Two years later, during the 2018/19 season, Pau Torres played on loan at Málaga CF to continue growing as a footballer. However, just one season later, the Yellows defender returned to the first team where he definitively established himself as a starter in the centre of defence alongside his teammate Raúl Albiol.
In the 2020/21 season, he won the UEFA Europa League, scoring one of the 11 spot-kicks in the historic penalty shoot-out against Manchester United. As if that were not enough, the tireless centre-back played that same season at the Tokyo Olympics with Spain, where he won the silver medal.
A year later, Pau Torres continued to add to his legend. The ‘xiquet del poble’ reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League with Villarreal CF, producing memorable performances throughout the competition with matches such as the one in Turin, where he put the Juventus side to the sword by scoring the 0-2 with a spectacular header.
His good role with the Submarine had a major prize. Pau Torres, who already played in Euro 2020, was called up by the Spanish national team to play in the World Cup in Qatar.
With 162 appearances to his name, Pau Torres is the 28th player with the most appearances wearing the yellow shirt. A living history of Villarreal CF, congratulations, Pau!
