Spain’s Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the World Cup—but just four years ago, he was in therapy and stuck in a ‘bottomless pit’ | Fortune

In 2022, the Spanish ahead was grappling with a psychological well being disaster; the then-21-year-old had hit all-time low after his €55 million ($62.8 million) transfer from Manchester Metropolis to La Liga membership Barcelona. Torres was struggling to deal with the stress that got here together with his expertise’s excessive price ticket, simply as he was recovering from a preseason leg damage and crushing Europa League loss to Eintracht Frankfurt.

“I discovered myself in a bottomless pit, and I couldn’t see a method out,” Torres advised reporters in 2023. “It had by no means occurred to me earlier than. That was the second after I determined to work with a psychologist.

“I misplaced my confidence. Every thing was affecting me,” he continued. “Seeing [a psychologist] will change into more and more normalised in soccer. There are weeks after I don’t go and others after I go thrice. We don’t all the time discuss soccer, we additionally discuss my non-public life.”

Torres credit remedy as “among the best experiences” and making him stronger as an individual. And his story can resonate with many; behind the trophies and multimillion-dollar contracts, many sports activities stars are preventing battles that almost all followers by no means see. As many as 51% of elite athletes battle with psychological well being issues in some unspecified time in the future of their lives, based on a 2020 examine. Mostly, they’re up towards struggles like melancholy and nervousness, and should delay searching for assist because of social stigma. 

However the 26-year-old’s multimillion-dollar sports activities profession and World Cup title is proof that prioritizing psychological well being doesn’t derail greatness—it may well assist unlock it.

Now Torres is a World Cup champion incomes thousands and thousands yearly

Torres’ rise has been a narrative of early ambition changed into world success, with the younger ahead shortly turning into considered one of soccer’s most recognizable stars.

Born within the small coastal city of Foios, Spain (proper outdoors of Valencia), Torres was destined for the world stage from an early age. At simply six years previous, he joined Valencia CF’s academy and made his skilled debut at 17. After gaining a popularity as considered one of Spain’s prime rising abilities, he signed with Manchester Metropolis in 2020, profitable each the Premier League and League Cup. 

Barcelona then paid thousands and thousands to the English crew to carry him again to Spain in 2022, and his high-profile switch was adopted by accidents, intense stress, and a disaster of confidence.

Torres finally rediscovered his spark because of his therapist, turning into a key contributor for each Barcelona and Spain. He went on to win a number of home trophies, together with La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Tremendous Cup. And what’s positive to be one of many highlights of his soccer profession, Torres scored the profitable objective for his nation within the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Gen Z footballer has additionally been raking in million-dollar contracts since his twenties. In 2020, Torres signed a five-year, $12 million contract transferring from Valencia to Manchester Metropolis. He spent a number of years on the English crew earlier than then making his return to Spain in 2022, signing a five-year cope with Barcelona for an preliminary €55 million ($62.8 million), with one other €10 million ($11.4 million) in add-ons.

Estimates put Torres’ present base wage between $6.3 million to $10 million per 12 months—or round $120,700 to $192,000 each week. It’s additionally reported that his sizable paycheck comes with at the very least one other €3 million ($3.4 million) in bonuses yearly; and off the pitch, he’s landed model offers and partnerships with Below Armour.