Dani Torres (Colombian footballer)

Daniel Alejandro Torres Rojas (born 15 November 1989) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Independiente Santa Fe.

Dani Torres
2008, by Jarle Vines
Personal information
Full name Daniel Alejandro Torres Rojas
Date of birth (1989-11-15) 15 November 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Cáqueza, Colombia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Independiente Santa Fe
Youth career
Sporting de Cáqueza
2005–2008 Independiente Santa Fe
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2015 Independiente Santa Fe 158 (1)
2011Atlético Nacional (loan) 12 (0)
2015–2016 Independiente Medellín 39 (3)
2016–2020 Alavés 41 (0)
2019Albacete (loan) 16 (0)
2020 Zaragoza 12 (0)
2021 Albacete 17 (1)
2021–2022 Castellón 34 (1)
2023-2024 Independiente Medellín 40 (1)
2024 - Independiente Santa Fe 19 (2)
International career
2015–2017 Colombia 14 (0)
Medal record
 Colombia
Copa América Centenario
Bronze medal – third place 2016 United States
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 July 2023

Club career

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Santa Fe

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Born in Cáqueza, Cundinamarca, Torres joined Independiente Santa Fe's youth setup in 2005 at the age of 15. He made his senior debut on 8 June 2008, starting in a 0–3 away loss against América de Cali.[1]

On 8 July 2011, Torres was loaned to fellow league team Atlético Nacional until the end of the year, with a buyout clause.[2] However, he only appeared sparingly for the club, being released in the end of the year mainly due to disciplinary problems (some of them related to alcoholism).[3]

Upon returning to Santa Fe, Torres established himself as a regular starter and helped the side in their 2012 and 2014 successful campaigns. He scored his first professional goal on 9 August of the latter year, netting the second in a 2–1 home win against Independiente Medellín.

Independiente Medellín

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On 5 July 2015, Torres and fellow Santa Fe teammate Luis Carlos Arias were transferred to Independiente Medellín.[4] He featured regularly for the side during his spell, scoring two goals in the 2015 season.

Alavés

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On 19 July 2016, Torres signed a four-year contract with Deportivo Alavés, newly promoted to La Liga.[5] He made his debut in the category on 21 August, starting in a 1–1 away draw against Atlético Madrid.[6]

Albacete (loan)

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On 31 January 2019, after featuring rarely during the first half of the campaign, Torres was loaned to Segunda División side Albacete Balompié, for six months.[7]

Zaragoza

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On 31 January 2020, Torres joined Real Zaragoza in the second division until the end of the season, after terminating his contract with Alavés.[8]

Albacete return

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On 7 February 2021, free agent Torres returned to Albacete on a contract until the end of the campaign.[9]

International career

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On 6 November 2015, Torres was called up by Colombia national team manager José Pékerman for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Chile and Argentina. He made his full international debut six days later, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw against the former.

Torres was also included in Pékerman's final 23-man list for the Copa América Centenario, featuring regularly as his side finished third.

Personal life

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In October 2016, Torres produced a video urging Colombians against supporting the peace deal with FARC.[10] Torres is a devout Christian, who cited his opposition to then president Juan Manuel Santos as that Santos did not put Jesus at the center of his politics.[11]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 5 December 2018[12][13]
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Club Season League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Colombia League Cup[n 1] South America Total
Santa Fe 2008 Categoría Primera A 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
2009 16 0 0 0 0 0 16 0
2010 21 0 0 0 6 0 27 0
2011 13 0 4 0 0 0 17 0
2012 21 0 6 0 0 0 27 0
2013 38 0 4 0 0 0 42 0
2014 36 1 11 0 12 0 59 1
2015 13 0 2 0 8 1 23 1
Subtotal 163 1 27 0 26 1 216 2
Atlético Nacional (loan) 2011 Categoría Primera A 12 0 4 0 0 0 16 0
Independiente Medellín 2015 Categoría Primera A 23 2 6 0 8 0 37 2
2016 16 1 1 0 0 0 17 1
Subtotal 39 3 7 0 8 0 54 3
Spain League Cup Europe Total
Alavés 2016–17 La Liga 21 0 5 0 0 0 26 0
2017–18 18 0 5 0 0 0 23 0
2018–19 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
Subtotal 41 0 11 0 0 0 52 0
Career total 255 4 49 0 34 1 340 5
Notes

Honours

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Club

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Santa Fe

International

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Colombia

References

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  1. ^ "Daniel Torres, pidiendo pista en la Selección" [Daniel Torres, asking for a place in the National Team] (in Spanish). En Directo Sabana. 7 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  2. ^ "El volante Daniel Torres es nuevo jugador de Atlético Nacional" [Defensive midfielder Daniel Torres is the new player of Atlético Nacional] (in Spanish). Caracol Radio. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Daniel Torres, jugador del Santa Fe, venció el alcoholismo" [Daniel Torres, player of Santa Fe, defeated the alcoholism] (in Spanish). Noticias RCN. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Daniel Torres y Luis Carlos Arias fueron transferidos al Medellín" [Daniel Torres and Luís Carlos Arias were transferred to Medellín] (in Spanish). Caracol Televisión. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Daniel Torres, juego, contención y liderazgo en el centro del campo" [Daniel Torres, break-up play and leadership in the centre of the midfield] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Al Atleti le sobra el final" [To Atleti the ending is too much] (in Spanish). Marca. 21 August 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Dani Torres jugará cedido en el Albacete" [Dani Torres will play on loan at Albacete] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  8. ^ "El Real Zaragoza incorpora al centrocampista Dani Torres" [Real Zaragoza sign central midfielder Dani Torres] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Dani Torres vuelve a enfundarse la camiseta del Alba" [Dani Torres wears the shirt of Alba again] (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Colombian Opposition to Peace Deal Feeds Off Gay Rights Backlash". New York Times. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Señor presidente, el centro de esta negociación no es Jesucristo". Semana (in Spanish). 27 September 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  12. ^ Daniel Torres at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  13. ^ Daniel Torres at ESPN FC
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