Gustavo Torres – Atletico Nacional’s attacking livewire
At the age of 23, Gustavo Torres has already embarked on a story-book career, moving from amateur to professional football, increasing his salary twenty-fold as he struggled to adjust to the demands of professional football. He was eventually sent to San Lorenzo in Argentina where he only made seven appearances in all competitions with two starts as Nacional maintained his playing rights before being loaned to Rionegro Aguilas in his native Colombia. Trouble ensued as he was sacked by the club for unprofessional behaviour before he returned to Nacional with a renewed focus and the will to make something of his football career.
The Colombian from La Cumbre in the Valle del Cauca region of Colombia gained the trust of new manager, Juan Carlos Osorio who instilled belief in him as Torres competes for the central striking role with Jefferson Duque. Torres is second in the Colombian Liga BetPlay top scorers’ chart as he has scored four goals in four games, with braces against La Equidad and Boyoca Chico. The 23-year-old has shown goal scoring prowess with his head as he has scored three goals with his head and one tap-in with his right foot.
Torres’ aerial ability is one of the greatest facets of his game as a photo of him jumping the height of his teammate, Baldomero Perlaza who stands at 1.82 metres tall gained traction on social media with fans joking that his jumping ability resembled Cristiano Ronaldo’s. Torres manages to rise high to head chances, frequently out-jumping his defensive markers while he also possesses the intelligence to make late runs into the box. All the headers he has scored this season have been a result of him charging to the back-post to adjust his body and direct headers past the keeper and into the net. Torres’ aerial ability also allows him to challenge for knock-downs as he can lay-off for teammates in the final third as he is a modern-day striker.
Osorio was looking for a certain type of striker in his system as Duque is normally his first-choice attacker. Torres is unique as he does not just provide aerial profligacy but is a quick twitch player with the ball at his feet too. He can utilise a turn of pace to earn a yard of space to create a shooting opportunity. Against Boyoca Chico, he had an opposition defender in front of him at the top of the box before, he quickly flicked the ball past his marker with the outside of his right boot to fashion a shot on goal. Torres has the frame and presence to play as a lone-striker as well as the pace and directness to play in the wide areas and as a second striker.
As a second striker, his teammates will work balls for him into the channels as he can dribble past a fullback while being strong at working low crosses into the six-yard box to create shooting opportunities for teammates. Torres is a livewire in the final third as he can also provide creative nuance in the final third. He can receive the ball in the ten space to work through balls to his strike partners while he is gifted at playing switch balls to runners on the opposite flank. Away to Boyoca Chico, he received possession after a turnover to then chip a pass to the opposite flank for his teammate to mis control.
As a lone striker, Torres is two-way player as he can drop deep to receive early passes and lay-off to the pockets while allowing other attackers to drive past him. Torres’ quick feet allow him to drop into space, receive the ball and distribute it into space quickly as in Osorio’s system, the centre-backs are encouraged to play early balls into the pockets in build-up play. The towering Colombian striker with blonde-tips topping his braided hair also has the pace to make runs off the shoulder of the last defender in behind. Whenever Torres is in a two-striker system, his partner will have the responsibility of dropping deep to receive balls in between the lines and long-balls while Torres will occupy the last defender, holding the nine-space and waiting for a cross or through ball opportunity.
Osorio and Torres have built a relationship of trust as Osorio gave the attacker the opportunity to resume his career at the highest level and Torres is the perfect striker for Osorio’s system. Torres also participates in the defensive phase, pressing centre-backs while also dropping back to regain possession in the midfield line to spark quick attacks for his side. Torres is a bundle of energy, chasing the ball while always using his physique to outmuscle opponents and shield the ball for his teammates to take the ball from his feet. Torres is strong aerially and wins possession in the air as at times, under intense pressure, Nacional will use long balls to the attackers who will be tasked with winning possession and connecting attacks.
Torres has the ability to work in a positional play system and a counter-attacking system with his well-rounded skillset as there are different ways that he can torment defences. He can hold defenders, receive play with his back to goal, hold off markers and draw players out of space to create opportunities for teammates. He can also receive the ball with miles of space in front of him to charge into space and work through balls for teammates in the channels, switch balls as well as generate shooting opportunities for himself. Throughout his career, youth coaches have played him in the wide areas and in the centre as he has developed into a multi-faceted attacker. So much so that Osorio has declared that a Colombian National Team role is in the offing as he would be a welcomed addition to the side before the Copa America next year.
"Professor Juan Carlos Osorio is a world-class coach, one of the best, the confidence he gives the player is important, and the player is comfortable with the methodology, " said Torres to W Radio after his brace against La Equidad.
“I bequeathed Nacional with many difficulties, the teacher (Osorio) gave me that vote of confidence, he motivated me a lot, all this is thanks to him, there are no words to describe what he gave me, this forces me to respond to all that trust that he has given me," said Torres to Marca Clara in a press conference.
"I dare say that, at this level, Gustavo Torres could aspire to international football and even to the national team in the future," said Osorio to the Colombian media after the match against La Equidad.
In a matter of months, with trust and a renewed sense of belief instilled in him by Osorio, Torres has gone from being sacked to the brink of a callup to the Colombian Seleccion. His coaches in amateur football and youth level have always retained a belief in him as Osorio has given him that faith in recent times while Torres has repaid it with goals. His main target when football is back to earn a regular starting role in place or next to Duque so he can continue to prove his talents at the highest level of Colombian football.
