Guwahati: Spain’s FIFA World Cup-winning player Ferran Torres, whose decisive goal against Argentina secured his country’s triumph in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, has a little-known connection with Assam.
Long before emerging as Spain’s World Cup hero on football’s biggest stage, Torres had showcased his talent at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Sarusajai in Guwahati during the FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by India in 2017.
The Spanish attacker was part of the Spain side that faced France in a Group D encounter at the Guwahati venue on October 17, 2017.
Spain defeated France 2-1 in a closely contested match then, with Torres among the standout young players who impressed thousands of football enthusiasts packed into the stadium.
At the time, Torres was regarded as one of Spain’s brightest emerging prospects. Few could have predicted that the teenager who thrilled spectators in Guwahati would, nearly a decade later, score the goal that would hand Spain the coveted FIFA World Cup trophy.
Torres etched his name into football history after finding the net in the World Cup final against Argentina, helping Spain lift the prestigious title and capping an outstanding tournament with the defining moment of his international career.
His rise from a promising youth international to a World Cup-winning star has also rekindled memories of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Assam, an event widely regarded as a landmark moment for football in the state.
Guwahati was one of the host cities for the global age-group tournament and welcomed several future international stars who have since established themselves at the highest level of world football.
The matches at Sarusajai gave local fans a rare opportunity to watch many of the game’s brightest young talents before they became household names.
With Torres now joining the elite list of World Cup final match-winners, football lovers in Assam can proudly recall that the Spanish forward’s journey on the global stage had once passed through Guwahati, years before he delivered the goal that crowned Spain world champions.
(IANS)
