Player Details

Name

Román Torres

Pronunciation

roe-MAHN

Height

6' 2"

Weight

194 lbs

Date of Birth

3.20.1986 (38)

Birthplace

Panama City, Panama

Position

Defender
Career Summary

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2020 (Inter Miami CF): Started four of his five appearances for expansion side Inter Miami CF before being traded to Sounders FC on September 28.2019 (Sounders FC): Torres started 12 of 17 regular season appearances for Sounders FC as the club earned its second MLS Cup title in four seasons. After testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, Torres missed 10 games from August 4-September 22, but returned with a bang, scoring his lone career regular season goal in his first start following his return, a 1-0 Decision Day win vs. Minnesota United FC (October 6). Torres appeared in all four of Sounders FC’s postseason matches, including all 90 minutes of the 3-1 win over Toronto in the final.

2019 (Sounders FC): Torres started 12 of 17 regular season appearances for Sounders FC as the club earned its second MLS Cup title in four seasons. After testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, Torres missed 10 games from August 4-September 22, but returned with a bang, scoring his lone career regular season goal in his first start following his return, a 1-0 Decision Day win vs. Minnesota United FC (October 6). Torres appeared in all four of Sounders FC’s postseason matches, including all 90 minutes of the 3-1 win over Toronto in the final.

2018 (Seattle): A veteran member of the 2018 squad, Torres registered 688 minutes of action during the MLS regular season, starting seven matches and making six further appearances as a substitute. He also started both legs of Seattle’s CONCACAF Champions League clash with Chivas de Guadalajara. Torres came off the bench and helped close out a 1-0 victory on the road over the Portland Timbers (August 26), a result which allowed the team to clinch the 2018 Cascadia Cup. Almost a quarter of his minutes came throughout Seattle’s historic nine-match winning streak. In the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, Torres tallied 170 minutes of action across both legs of the Western Conference Semifinal series with Portland.

2017 (Seattle): Torres set career highs in MLS play with 23 appearances, 21 starts, 1,787 minutes and two assists in 2017. The veteran defender assisted on Clint Dempsey’s 94th-minute equalizer on the road in the club’s 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers (June 25). Logging 1,787 minutes during the regular season, Torres started 16 of the club’s last 18 games during the regular season. The Panamanian played every eligible minute in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, missing only the second leg of the Western Conference Championship against the Houston Dynamo (yellow card accumulation). Following his goal that sent Panama to the World Cup and second consecutive appearance in MLS Cup, Torres was named to CONCACAF’s Best XI for 2017 and was named MLS Latino del Año for the second consecutive season, an award given to the top Latin player in the league.

2016 (Seattle): After sustaining a leg injury in September 2015, Torres returned to action nearly a full year later as a halftime sub at Portland (August 28). He then went on to flourish alongside Chad Marshall at center back during the home stretch, with Sounders FC finishing the regular season unbeaten in seven of eight contests. Including the postseason, Sounders FC allowed just 10 goals in Torres’ 13 starts. He cemented himself in franchise lore with the championship-clinching penalty kick against Toronto FC in the MLS Cup (December 10). The Panamanian captain was also called-in to his national side throughout 2016, pushing his cap mark to 99.

2015 (Millonarios/Seattle): Torres started all 17 of his appearances for Millonarios during the 2015 campaign, netting three goals. He scored in back-to-back contests – both game-winners – against Medellìn (May 9) and Sante Fe (May 17). He helped Millonarios to a fifth-place finish in the Apertura before falling to Deportivo Cali in the Semifinals of the Knockout Stage. Torres appeared in four league matches (four starts) after being signed by Sounders FC on August 12. The Panamanian made his club debut in 90 minutes of action and recorded an assist in a 4-0 win against Orlando City SC (August 16). He suffered a season-ending ACL injury in a 1-1 draw at San Jose (September 12). Torres underwent successful surgery on September 22. Following a successful campaign with the Panamanian National Team that produced a third-place finish in the 2015 Gold Cup, Torres was named to CONCACAF’s Best XI for 2015. 

2014 (Millonarios): The centerback started each of his 29 appearances in 2014, with his lone goal coming in a 3-1 win over former-club Atlètico Nacional (February 9). Millonarios finished second in the Apertura table with 33 points (10-5-3), but fell on penalties in the Semifinals to Atlètico Junior. Torres also appeared twice in the Copa Sudoamericana.

2013 (Millonarios): Torres made 33 appearances – all starts – and scored two goals. He was responsible for the lone score in a 1-0 win over Cùcuta Deportivo (August 28), as well as a stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 win over Boyacà Chicò (March 2). He led Millonarios to a runner-up finish at the 2013 Copa Colombia, appearing in three matches and scoring a goal in the first leg of the Final against Atlètico Nacional. Torres also made four appearances in the 2013 Copa Libertadores.

2012 (La Equidad / Millonarios): He started 32 of 33 total appearances for La Equidad and Millonarios. After appearing in 17 matches for La Equidad in the 2012 Apertura, Torres went on loan to Millonarios for the 2012 Clausura. There, Torres started all 16 of his appearances and led Millonarios to the Liga Àguila championship, finishing atop the table at 11-4-3 and defeating Medillìn in the Final.

2011 (Atlètico Nacional): In his lone season with Atlètico Nacional, Torres started 25 of 26 contests, scoring three goals, leading his club to the 2011 Apertura championship. Nacional finished third in the Apertura table with 33 points (10-5-3), then went on to defeat La Equidad 3-2 on aggregate in the Final.

2010 (Atlètico Junior): Torres captured the first of his three Colombian titles in 2010, leading Atlètico Junior to the 2010 Apertura title. The centerback started all 31 of his appearances as Junior went on to defeat Medellìn in the semifinals and La Equidad in the final.

2009 (La Equidad): In his second season with La Equidad, Torres started all 31 of his appearances and scored one goal. He scored his lone goal in a 2-2 draw with Envigado (August 30).

2008 (La Equidad): After making the move to Bogotà-based club La Equidad, Torres made 32 appearances and scored five goals. The centerback made an immediate impact for La Equidad, as the club captured the 2008 Copa Colombia title, defeating Once Caldas in the final.

2006-07 (Cortulùa): Torres made the move to Cortulùa of the Colombian First Division, making 39 appearances over the course of two seasons and scoring six goals.

2005-06 (San Francisco FC): After moving to San Francisco FC, Torres appeared in 33 matches and scored four goals for the La Chorrera-based club. Torres continued his winning ways, leading the club to a pair of Panamanian championships (2005 Clausura, 2006 Apertura).

2003-05 (Chepo FC): Torres appeared in 27 matches for the Panama City-based club, scoring five goals and helping Chepo FC win the 2003 Copa Rommel Fernandez.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Torres has 98 career caps for the Panamanian National Team, recording 14 international goals. He captained Panama to a third-place finish at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and scored in a 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Semifinal Round. He has appeared in qualifying matches for the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups. In the final match of the 2018 qualifying cycle, he scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Costa Rica, sending his nation to the FIFA World Cup for the first time. At the 2018 World Cup, the Panamanian started and captained his side in all three group stage matches. Torres made his international debut in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup against South Africa, where Panama finished second. He also led Panama to a second-place finish at the 2013 Gold Cup, as well as the Copa Centroamericana championship in 2009.

ACQUIRED

Acquired by Sounders FC from Inter Miami FC in exchange for a conditional first round selection in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft on September 28, 2020.