Fernando Torres was a graceful Spanish striker whose blend of pace, movement and clean finishing made him one of the most feared forwards of his generation. He emerged as a boyhood idol at Atlético Madrid before a move to Liverpool, where his partnership with Steven Gerrard produced a flood of goals.
Nicknamed El Niño, he later joined Chelsea and won the Champions League, though injuries dulled his sharpest edge. With Spain he was central to a era of unprecedented success, scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2008 final and adding a World Cup and a second European title. He closed his career where it began, back home at Atlético.