Fernando Torres, a forgotten fashion icon

A close-up: the long blonde fringe, the freckles. This is how the cover of El Niño: My Story presents itself, the first and only book by Fernando Torres, the only written document that truly tells the story of the striker – or rather, the one where he himself chooses to tell his story from different angles. The book was released in 2010 and, thanks to a stroke of luck, we managed to buy it online for a bargain price. We never imagined that flipping through the pages of this project by Fernando Torres could unveil so many gems, bringing to light forgotten aspects of one of the most admired – and far from divisive – footballers of the 2010s. From his friendship with Mohamed Sissoko, to behind-the-scenes stories, like when Torres talks about the emotion he felt during Diego Armando Maradona's visit to Elmwood, Liverpool's training center, to greet his dear friend Rafa Benitez. In El Niño: My Story, Fernando Torres also talks about his participation in some campaigns, including charity ones, like when he was chosen as the face of the Fundacion Crecer Jugando, an organization dedicated to delivering toys to children in the poorest parts of the world.

But also his participation in fashion campaigns. Torres recalls: “I never thought I would become an icon. When I was younger, the idea of being the face of a multinational or appearing in advertisements would have seemed like a joke. But it happened. Not that I would ever compare myself to Michael Jordan or David Beckham — they are unique, unrepeatable. We can only follow in their footsteps. We could never be on their level. They were the ones who paved the way for athletes to become the stars of international advertising campaigns.”

The Pepe Jeans Campaign

The footballer talks about his participation, while at Atlético Madrid, in the Pepe Jeans campaign for the FW04 collection, alongside model Letizia Birkheuer and under the lens of photographer Steven Klein. Rediscovering those images is not only a trip down memory lane, but also a reappraisal of the present: how is it possible that we haven't talked more about this campaign featuring Fernando Torres every time the relationship between fashion and football is discussed? After seeing Steven Klein’s shots from 21 years ago, El Niño immediately deserves a place next to David Beckham — perhaps because of those sensual poses, never replicated by other footballers in a fashion campaign, Fernando Torres may actually have provided the definitive answer to the process of glamorization of the footballer, and we had never noticed it until now?

The Passion for The Beatles

In the book, he also talks about the difficulty of finding a new and comfortable home in Liverpool; it's not easy to adapt to the UK after a life spent under the Spanish sun. However, discovering the local culture can be a great solution to feel at home and distract you from homesickness. And that's exactly what El Niño did, by exploring the discography of the Beatles.

“Personally, I really like the Beatles. Even before imagining I’d end up in Liverpool, I was listening to their songs. Now I’ve rediscovered them because listening to them helped me learn the language faster. My favorite songs are Penny Lane and Yellow Submarine.”

As it is said today in internet culture, we may have slept on Fernando Torres. For some strange reason, perhaps due to his distance from the social scene and gossip, he hasn't been talked much about when it comes to the relationship between sport and fashion. But from now on, we’ll have a new and interesting perspective on Torres from this point of view. We hope to spark your curiosity and invite you to take a journey through the life of El Niño; and rush to buy El Niño: My Story, looking for a deal on some resale website.