Paulo Torres
Encyclopedia
Paulo Manuel Banha Torres (born 25 November 1971 in Évora
) is a retired Portuguese
footballer who played as a left defender.
, Torres, a free kick
specialist, played for Sporting Clube de Portugal (this included a very brief loan at Lisbon
neighbours Atlético Clube de Portugal
), S.C. Campomaiorense
, UD Salamanca
(playing one season each in Spain
's two major divisions
), Rayo Vallecano
, G.D. Chaves, CD Leganés
, S.C.U. Torreense
, F.C. Penafiel and Imortal Desportos Clube, retiring at 31.
Internationally, he was part of the Portuguese national team
that won the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship on home soil - dubbed The Golden Generation
- scoring three times during the tournament, twice through long-distance free kicks, his biggest asset. He also won two full caps, both in the following year.
Immediately after retiring as a player, Torres took up coaching, managing exclusively in the lower leagues in Portugal.
Évora
Évora is a municipality in Portugal. It has total area of with a population of 55,619 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Évora District and capital of the Alentejo region. The municipality is composed of 19 civil parishes, and is located in Évora District....
) is a retired Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
footballer who played as a left defender.
Football career
During his career, which was spent entirely in his country and SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Torres, a free kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
specialist, played for Sporting Clube de Portugal (this included a very brief loan at Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
neighbours Atlético Clube de Portugal
Atlético Clube de Portugal
Atlético Clube de Portugal is a Portuguese football team from Alcântara, Lisbon, founded on 18 September 1942. The club was formed with the union of two clubs – Carcavelinhos Football Clube and União Foot-ball Lisboa. They currently play in the Liga de Honra after gaining promotion in the 2010-11...
), S.C. Campomaiorense
S.C. Campomaiorense
Sporting Clube Campomaiorense is a Portuguese football club, founded in 1926, and based in Campo Maior.The club had a professional football section that played five seasons at the top level of Portuguese football and reached the Cup of Portugal final in 1999.Campomaiorense was first promoted to the...
, UD Salamanca
UD Salamanca
Unión Deportiva Salamanca, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Founded on 16 March 1923, it currently plays in Segunda División B – Group 2....
(playing one season each in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's two major divisions
Spanish football league system
The Spanish football league system refers to the system in Spanish club football that consists of several football leagues bound together hierarchically by promotion and relegation.-Primera División:...
), Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, S.A.D., often abbreviated to Rayo, is a Spanish football team based in Madrid, in the neighbourhood of Vallecas...
, G.D. Chaves, CD Leganés
CD Leganés
Club Deportivo Leganés, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team from Leganés, in the Madrid outskirts. Founded on 26 June 1928, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Estadio Municipal de Butarque, which seats 8,000 spectators....
, S.C.U. Torreense
S.C.U. Torreense
Sport Clube União Torreense was founded in Torres Vedras in 1917, with the original name Sport União Torreense. It participated 6 times in the Portuguese Liga and its best result was two seventh final places , coincidentally the team's first two years in the top flight...
, F.C. Penafiel and Imortal Desportos Clube, retiring at 31.
Internationally, he was part of the Portuguese national team
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
that won the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship on home soil - dubbed The Golden Generation
Golden Generation
In sport, a golden generation is an exceptionally gifted group of players of similar age, whose achievements reach or are expected to reach a level of success beyond that which their team had previously achieved...
- scoring three times during the tournament, twice through long-distance free kicks, his biggest asset. He also won two full caps, both in the following year.
Immediately after retiring as a player, Torres took up coaching, managing exclusively in the lower leagues in Portugal.