Fernando Torres' Return to Atletico Madrid Attracted Over 40,000 Fans

Ever since he moved from Liverpool to Chelsea in 2011, Spanish striker Fernando Torres morphed into the easiest punchline in world soccer. At one point he may as well have changed his middle name to “LOL” for all his missed chances and the reaction said misses prompted on the always cordial, humane online space of social media. Torres only scored 20 times in 110 games for Chelsea(*), before being off-loaded to AC Milan in the summer. His poor form continued at Milan, which recently signed him in-full and then loaned him to his former club, Atletico Madrid (Alessio Cerci went back to Milan in the deal) where Torres was welcomed with open arms.

Those open arms included over 40,000 fans who came out to the Vicente Calderon Stadium … to watch Torres’ “unveiling.” Yes, a player walking out to the center of the field with his small children in tow, waving and kicking a few balls attracted a crowd that would make many of the NCAA bowl games this year blush. That said, Torres is considered a legend at Atletico where he earned the nickname El Niño. The love Atletico fans hold toward Torres hasn’t waned despite his Chelsea malaise.

Fans lined up around the block to get in, no less.

It’s nice to feel loved, right?

And as easy a target for mockery as he is now, at Liverpool Torres was a legitimate force in front of goal and briefly in the discussion among the world’s best strikers.

(*) Torres, as always, gets the last laugh considering he won both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League while at Chelsea to go along with his two European Championships and one World Cup with Spain. LOL indeed.