*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
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.
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
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 2009Final, 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.
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.
