Pau Torres: Living the dream for his childhood team
Vila-real born Pau Francisco Torres has established himself where so many hoped he would: in the starting XI of Villarreal’s first team. After a season-long loan spell at Malaga CF last season, he has become a regular starter at the beginning of the the start of the 2019/20 season.
The 22-year-old’s hot form saw an exciting start of October for the centre-back, first of all he signed a contract extension until June 2024, before getting his first call-up for the Spain national team and then scoring his first goal for the club against Osasuna.
Growing up in Vila-real and seeing his local team through the highs and lows of the past two decades, Pau can be classified as a true Groguet. Football has always been his passion and he joined the Villarreal academy at the age of five. Moving up the youth ranks of the academy, the people of Vila-real set their hopes on Pau as their new local star after he made his debut for Villarreal B in August 2016 at the age of 19. That season (2016/17), Pau became into a regular starter for Villarreal B. What’s more, his future got even brighter on 20th December 2016, when Pau made his first-team debut, replacing Victor Ruiz towards the end of a match against CD Toledo in the Copa del Rey (1–1).
Vila-real had another local-born youth product playing in their first team again, the first to debut for 13 years. This was his only first-team appearance that season, but he had made himself a name in the club and established himself in Villarreal B, even scoring two goals that season.
The next season, 2017/18, Pau further progressed and besides being a stable force in the B team, he started to earn himself regular first call ups to the LaLiga squad. On the 26th November 2017, Pau made his LaLiga debut in a game against Sevilla FC. It made him the fourth ever Vila-real born player to star in La Liga, after César Arzo, Xisco Nadal and Héctor Font, accomplishing this milestone at the age of 20. The rest of the season, he featured a few times for first team, but mostly played with Villarreal B if not selected for first-team games.
In summer 2018, with a new season on the horizon, Pau was loaned to Malaga CF for the 2018/19 season. Malaga had just been relegated to Segunda. The loan spell meant a better opportunity for first-team football and thus growth, especially in a team that was used to playing in LaLiga. His Villarreal team-mates Samu Castillejo and Pablo Fornals, having previously played for Malaga, even recommended Pau to join Málaga, as it was the perfect place ‘to grow’. His spell at Malaga turned out to be a great success, playing 44 matches as a starter and showing his talent and glimpses of great potential. Málaga finished third in the table, losing the play-off semi-finals to Deportivo La Coruña. Pau was a big part of Málaga’s success last season, and was a highly-regarded force in the team. Furthermore, he made his debut for Spain U21s March 2019, being his impressive performances.
This summer, Pau came back to Villarreal. Returning from a very successful season, he grew to a more mature player, as he stated : ‘’I was lucky to play and learn a lot. The pressure and demand of those at Málaga is of the highest level, something that makes you grow a lot.’’
Since his return, he has been a rock at the back, alongside new signing Raúl Albiol at the heart of Javi Calleja’s side in defence. Playing alongside an experienced player like the former Napoli man clearly helps Pau, who said: “Playing next to Raúl gives me a lot of confidence (…). He is someone from whom you learn every day. I am in a lucky situation and he gives me a lot of tips.’’
Pau is left-footed and a powerful defender who stands out for his stamina. He also adds height to the team, at 1.91cm tall, and describes himself as a ‘positional defender rather than physical and quick’, adding ‘I prefer to anticipate and concentrate on the play to be a step ahead in split balls and losses. I also like to have the ball and I think I have the ability to play out from behind.’
With the national team call-up and contract extension, the people of Vila-real are enjoying exciting times, with their local boy seeming to establish a great future. Pau knows his privileged position playing for his local team, stating in his contract extension announcement: “I still live in Vila-real, near my family and my friends. This makes daily life easier. For me it’s a massive privilege to be loved by the people from my town.” On the football side, he also sees the importance of the renewal to his career: “This is a very important step in my career. Villarreal CF is my childhood club and this is what I’ve been fighting for my whole career. I am very grateful for the trust placed in me.” Talking about the trust placed in Pau, CEO Fernando Roig Negueroles revealed his happiness with the extension: “It’s a very special case, he’s a boy from Vila-real, an academy graduate who’s been here since he was five. We’re very happy to have sorted out this renewal (…) we’re very happy with his performances and he is a players set to be a key figure for Villarreal and Spanish football.”
Exciting times are ahead for Pau and the town of Vila-real, with a homegrown youngster in the ranks, not only that, but he is the first person from Vila-real to be called into the Spain squad. It’s a dream Pau is honoured to be fulfilling: ‘’It is a great responsibility, but at the same time it is something very special and something I really want to do. It is a beautiful motivation.’
