Fernando José Torres Sanz (born 20 March 1984 in Madrid, Spain) is a football player who grew up in the Fuenlabrada neighbourhood, traditional Real Madrid territory, but he wore the red and white stripes of Atletico Madrid, of which his father and grandfather are rabid fans, proudly on the streets nonetheless. He is nicknamed El Niño (The Kid), because of his youth and of his child-like face. He is a striker for the Spanish National Team. His coach Luis Aragonés remarked that he “never scores two goals the same” because of the way he seems to score a different goal every time he steps onto the pitch. In 1999, Torres signed his first contract with the club. At the end of the 1999-2000 season Torres was part of the first team. His next success was at the European Under-16 Championship in England in 2001. Torres finished as the Player of the Tournament en route to Spain's victory.

Torres made his debut for Atlético de Madrid in the Vicente Calderón Stadium on May 27, 2001 against Leganes. He scored his first goal for the club the following week, in a game against Albacete. In November of that year Torres played in the Under-17 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago.

2002 saw Atletico Madrid returning to the first division of Spanish football. In his first season playing in the top division Torres did not find the transition from second tier football too much of a hindrance as he scored 13 goals. In July, Torres played in the Under-19 European Championship in Norway, a tournament won by Spain. Torres was both top scorer and Player of the Tournament.

Torres made his debut for the Under-21 national team in 2003. On September 6, 2003 Torres made his debut for the senior national team against Portugal. His first goal for Spain came against Italy on April 28, 2004.

The young Spanish striker scored vital goals to help Spain qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

He is the youngest player to play for Atletico, the youngest goalscorer for the Spanish national side. Torres is a forward, and wears the number 9 shirt. Currently his goal tally for the club stands at 68.

In the summer of 2005 Chelsea and Manchester United were fighting to sign him with millions of pounds being said to be offered. Yet Torres decided to stay with Atlético de Madrid after it was clear that both offers were false. However in the January 2006 transfer window cash-strapped Atlético de Madrid have made Torres available with a price tag around £25 million. Tottenham Hotspur had apparently been the only club to capitilise on this with a reported bid for £20.5 million, but it went no further than that. In March of 2006 the Spanish striker said it was confirmed to him by Atlético chiefs that Newcastle United had made a bid for him.

--Wikipedia