- The Observer,
- Sunday June 16 2002
While the biggest midfield stars in world football have gone home, or didn't turn up in the first place - Zidane, Veron, Figo, Keane, Vieira - a few new names have emerged to impress a global audience. Salif Diao, Khalilou Fadiga and the three-goal Pape Bouba Diop for Senegal, Francisco de Pedro of Spain, Anders Svensson of Sweden, and, heading them all, Gerardo Torrado , of Mexico.
Torrado scored in his man-of-the-match performance against Ecuador, and outshone Francesco Totti in his following game, in which Mexico were unlucky not to defeat Italy. He orchestrated the transition from defence to attack with his swift, accurate and varied passing, and showed his defensive skills, so important to a side who have plenty of flair further forward.
Torrado, 23, already has 30 caps and three international goals, and has captained Mexico. He has played two seasons in Spain, and must be one of the best bargain signings in the game.
He started on loan to Tenerife in the second division, and despite an important contribution to their gaining promotion he was not rewarded with a new contract. Torrado convinced Polideportivo Ejido, a modest club still in the second division, to sign him as, he told them, he was free. That was not the case. His Mexican club, Pumas, owed his rights and the controversy left him out of the game and the national side for two months.
When all was sorted out, Torrado had a clause in his contract with Poliderportivo allowing him to move on for only £38,000 if a bigger club wanted him. Sevilla poached him after only 12 matches last January.
