José Francisco Torres Mezzell (born October 29, 1987) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder. He is popularly known by his nickname Gringo.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Francisco Torres Mezzell[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | October 29, 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Longview, Texas, United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2006 | Pachuca | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2013 | Pachuca | 151 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2019 | Tigres UANL | 99 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | → Puebla (loan) | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 26 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Rio Grande Valley FC | 41 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2013 | United States | 26 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:29, October 16, 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of July 28, 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
He is usually deployed as a central midfielder but can also play as a full-back. Torres has played for the United States national team.[3]
Early life edit
Torres was born in Texas to a Mexican father and an American mother.[4] He played two years for Longview High School and was voted the team's MVP both seasons, with 31 goals and 39 assists in total. After his sophomore year, he was scouted and signed by Mexican club Pachuca.
Club career edit
Torres was recruited by Pachuca while he was still attending high school in Texas.[4] He broke into the starting lineup during the 2008 Apertura season in central midfield. He appeared in all three matches at the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup for Pachuca, starting twice. In the InterLiga 2009 Final, Torres scored the clinching penalty kick that sent Pachuca through to the Copa Libertadores 2009.[5] In November 2012, he was transferred to Tigres UANL. On December 22, 2012, Torres made his debut with Tigres in a friendly match against Pumas UNAM in the Estadio Universitario. Tigres was the Apertura 2015 champion, and Torres played the second leg of the final.
On November 25, 2020, after more than two years without playing a professional game, Torres joined USL Championship side Colorado Springs Switchbacks ahead of their 2021 season.[6]
On February 21, 2022, Torres signed with USL Championship side Rio Grande Valley FC.[7]
International career edit
Torres was eligible to choose between representing Mexico, the nation of his father's heritage and where he played club soccer, or his native United States. Both national federations had been tracking Torres' progress at Pachuca.[8]
Torres was invited by Peter Nowak to play for the United States U-23 team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Torres declined the invitation when Pachuca promised a position in their starting lineup if he stayed with the club.[4] However, only three months later, on October 2, 2008, Torres announced his intention to represent the United States at the international level, and was called in to the U.S. camp by Bob Bradley within days.[4]
He made his U.S. debut against Cuba on October 11, 2008, coming on as a substitute for Heath Pearce in the sixty-eighth minute. He made his first start against Trinidad and Tobago four days later. Torres was also included in the roster that played against Mexico in February 2009, but did not play. He was a member of the U.S. squad for the 2009 Confederations Cup but did not play in the tournament. He was selected to the 23-man roster to represent the United States at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and started a group stage game against Slovenia.[9]
Torres continued to be a part of the U.S. set up under Bradley's successor, Jürgen Klinsmann, and was part of the qualification cycle for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Despite being a part of the 2013 Gold Cup winning team, he ended falling outside of Klinsmann's plans, and ultimately was not part of the U.S. team that went to the World Cup in Brazil.
Career statistics edit
Club edit
- As of October 14, 2023[10]
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Pachuca | 2006–07 | Liga MX | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 10 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 6[a] | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 2[b] | 0 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 0 | 41 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 4[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9[d] | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | 41 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 2[d] | 0 | 0 | 4[e][f] | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2012–13 | 13 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2[g] | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | — | — | — | 15 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Total | 133 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 169 | 5 | 13 | ||
| Tigres UANL | 2012–13 | Liga MX | 15 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 10[g] | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | 21 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 7[g] | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 30 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[g] | 0 | 0 | 7[d] | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 22 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 0 | 1[h] | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[g] | 0 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 0 | 1[h] | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Puebla | 2018–19 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[g] | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 86 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 124 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | 2021 | USL Championship | 20 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | – | – | – | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Rio Grande Valley FC | 2022 | 22 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | – | – | – | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 21 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 63 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 382 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 457 | 13 | 12 | ||
- ^ a b c d e Appearance(s) in La Liguilla
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
- ^ Appearance(s) in Interliga
- ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
- ^ Two appearance(s) in FIFA Club World Cup
- ^ Two appearance(s) in North American Superliga
- ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in Copa MX
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in Campeón de Campeones
International edit
- As of July 28, 2013
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | |||
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 28 | 0 | |
Honors edit
Pachuca
- Primera División de México: Clausura 2007
- CONCACAF Champions League: 2007, 2008, 2009–10
- Copa Sudamericana: 2006
- North American SuperLiga: 2007
Tigres UANL
- Liga MX: Apertura 2015, Apertura 2016, Apertura 2017
- Copa MX: Clausura 2014
- Campeón de Campeones: 2016, 2017
United States
References edit
- ^ "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 Presented By TOYOTA — List Of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. December 5, 2008. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 9, 2008.
- ^ "Mexico - José Torres - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
- ^ "Torres Commits to USA". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Bell, Jack (January 6, 2009). "After Honing Game in Mexico, Jose Torres will play for US". The New York Times. p. B16. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
- ^ Canales, Andrea (January 12, 2009). "Torres happy he chose Team USA". Sports Illustrated. Carson, California: Time Inc. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2009.
- ^ "Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Sign U.S. World Cup Veteran José Francisco Torres". www.switchbacksfc.com. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- ^ USLChampionship com Staff (February 21, 2022). "Jose Francisco Torres Joins Rio Grande Valley FC". USL Championship. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ "Young midfielder Torres is ahead of his time on U.S. national team". CNN. August 11, 2009. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
- ^ "Match 22 - Group C". FIFA.com. June 18, 2010. Archived from the original on December 30, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ^ José Francisco Torres (October 29, 1987). "José Francisco Torres Profile, Statistics, News, Game Log". Pachuca, Primera División de México. ESPN Soccernet. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "USA 1–0 Panama – as it happened". Guardian UK. July 28, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
External links edit
- José Francisco Torres – Liga MX stats at MedioTiempo.com (archived) (in Spanish)
- José Francisco Torres – FIFA competition record (archived)