Curro Torres facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cristóbal Emilio Torres Ruiz | ||
| Date of birth | 27 December 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Ahlen, West Germany | ||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||
| Playing position | Right-back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Levadia (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Damm | |||
| Gramenet | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1995–1997 | Gramenet | 53 | (5) |
| 1997–1999 | Valencia B | 62 | (10) |
| 1999–2009 | Valencia | 117 | (1) |
| 1999–2000 | → Recreativo (loan) | 37 | (1) |
| 2000–2001 | → Tenerife (loan) | 39 | (2) |
| 2007–2008 | → Murcia (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Gimnàstic | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 310 | (19) | |
| National team | |||
| 2001–2002 | Spain | 5 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2014–2017 | Valencia B | ||
| 2017 | Lorca | ||
| 2018 | Istra 1961 | ||
| 2018–2019 | Córdoba | ||
| 2019–2020 | Lugo | ||
| 2021–2022 | Cultural Leonesa | ||
| 2022– | Levadia | ||
|
|||
Cristóbal Emilio "Curro" Torres Ruiz (born December 27, 1976) is a Spanish former footballer. He played as a right-back, a defensive position on the field. After retiring as a player, he became a manager. He is currently the manager of the Estonian club FCI Levadia Tallinn.
During his playing career, Curro Torres mostly played for Valencia. He helped them win two La Liga championships, which is Spain's top football league. He also won the UEFA Cup with Valencia in 2004. He played 119 matches in La Liga and scored one goal. Curro Torres also played for the Spanish national team and was part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
He started his coaching career in 2014 with Valencia B. He has since managed several teams in Spain, Croatia, and Estonia.
Contents
Early Life and Background
Curro Torres was born in Ahlen, which is in West Germany. His parents were from Granada, Spain. They moved to Germany for work. When Curro was a baby, his family moved back to Spain. They settled in Catalonia.
Playing Career Highlights
Club Football Journey
Curro Torres began his football journey at UDA Gramenet. In 1997, he joined Valencia CF. For two seasons, he played regularly for Valencia's B team. After that, he was loaned to Recreativo de Huelva and CD Tenerife.
At CD Tenerife in the 2000–01 season, he was a very important player. Along with teammates Mista and Luis García, he helped the team get promoted to La Liga. This was Spain's top football division.
Success with Valencia
After his loan, Curro Torres returned to Valencia. He became a key player for the team. Under coach Rafael Benítez, Valencia won the national league twice. They also won the 2003–04 UEFA Cup in 2004. This was a major European club competition.
From 2005 onwards, Curro Torres faced many injuries. Despite this, he played in 17 games during the 2006–07 season. He often played as a left-back when Emiliano Moretti was injured.
Later Career and Challenges
For the 2007–08 season, Torres was loaned to Real Murcia. They were a new team in the top league. However, his injury problems returned, and he only played in two league matches. When Real Murcia was relegated, he went back to Valencia. In the 2008–09 season, he played only two UEFA Cup matches. He left Valencia in June 2009.
On July 27, 2009, Curro Torres joined Gimnàstic de Tarragona in the Segunda División. He did not play any matches during the 2009–10 season. In January 2011, his contract was ended.
International Matches for Spain
Because of his strong performances at Valencia, Curro Torres was called to play for the Spanish national team. His first game was on November 14, 2001. It was a friendly match against Mexico in Huelva, which Spain won 1–0.
He was also chosen for the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad. At the World Cup, he played in one group stage match against South Africa.
Coaching Career Journey
On April 7, 2014, Curro Torres returned to Valencia. He was appointed as the manager of their reserve team, Valencia B. This team plays in the Segunda División B. In 2017, he led them to the final round of the play-offs. They were trying to get promoted but were knocked out by Albacete Balompié.
On July 2, 2017, Torres became the manager of Lorca FC. However, he was sacked on December 17, as the team was in the relegation zone.
Managing Abroad and in Spain
Curro Torres then moved to Croatia. He was appointed manager of NK Istra 1961 in the Croatian First Football League on September 20, 2018. He left the club after only one month. On November 19, he took over Córdoba CF in Spain. He was dismissed on February 25, 2019, after the team struggled.
On December 27, 2019, Torres became the manager of CD Lugo in the second division. He was relieved of his duties six months later, with the team near the bottom of the league.
Torres then managed Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa from December 12, 2021, to June 30, 2022. They played in the new Primera Federación league. His contract was not renewed after they missed the play-offs.
Current Role in Estonia
On November 11, 2022, Curro Torres signed a two-year deal with FCI Levadia Tallinn. This club plays in the Estonian Meistriliiga, which is Estonia's top football league. His first match as manager was on March 5, 2023. The season began with a 0–0 draw at home against Pärnu JK Vaprus.
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
Valencia
- La Liga: 2001–02, 2003–04 (Won Spain's top league twice)
- Copa del Rey: 1998–99 (Won the Spanish Cup)
- UEFA Cup: 2003–04 (Won a major European competition)
- UEFA Super Cup: 2004 (Won the European Super Cup)
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1998 (Won another European competition)
As a Manager
Individual Awards
- Meistriliiga Manager of the Month: April 2023, June/July 2023 (Recognized for good performance in Estonia)
See also
In Spanish: Curro Torres para niños
- List of Spain international footballers born outside Spain
