Spain coach Luis de la Fuente surprisingly compares Ferran Torres to Alvaro Morata after 2026 World Cup title

Spain have become as the best national team in the world by winning the 2026 World Cup title. To achieve this, Ferran Torres emerged as the hero, scoring the winning goal against Argentina after coming off the bench. After this, he managed to silence any doubts surrounding him. Because of this, head coach Luis de la Fuente praised his great impact on the tournament, surprisingly comparing him to Álvaro Morata.

“I try to be fair when I see criticism with bad intentions. Life then gives you opportunities, which is why I am especially happy for Ferran. His story reminds me of Morata’s. Faced with injustice, he has said: here I am… When Ferran scored, I felt the closest thing to happiness; and when I lifted the Cup, I felt happy, satisfied, and proud,” Luis de la Fuente revealed, via Diario AS.

Throughout the 2026 World Cup, Mikel Oyarzabal established as the starting striker, scoring five goals. After this, the criticism toward Ferran Torres became very strong, as he had failed to score in the tournament. However, Luis de la Fuente highlights something key by comparing him to Morata: He is very underrated, as his impact on the field always goes beyond the goalscoring aspect.

Like Morata, Ferran is a striker who helps bring out the best version of his teammates. Without being prodigies in the goalscoring aspect, they are capable of dropping into a creative role and even playing on the wings. As a result, their teammates usually receive more space to score. Although the 33-year-old striker has scored 37 goals for the national team, the 26-year-old star has 25 and could look to surpass him in the coming years.

Spain captain Rodri Hernandez also praises Ferran Torres

Amid a style of soccer in which Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland shine in the goalscoring aspect, a striker profile like Ferran Torres is viewed quite unfairly. Although he was not a starter at the 2026 World Cup, he scored the goal that ended Spain’s drought, leading them to their second title in the tournament. Because of this, national team captain Rodri Hernández decided to praise the 26-year-old striker.

“Today I would like to remember a person (Introducing Ferran) who is very important to this group, very special to me. Perhaps a player who has been unfairly criticized many times… Today he is part of Spanish soccer history,” Rodri said during the celebrations following Spain’s 2026 World Cup title. With those remarks in mind, Ferran is expected to remain part of the project ahead of the 2028 UEFA Euro as a key figure in the dressing room.

Where does Ferran Torres rank on Spain’s all-time scoring list?

Even though Ferran Torres does not stand out as a prolific goalscorer, he already has 25 goals for Spain, which is a very respectable tally. However, he still is not among the national team’s top five all-time goalscorers. Not only is Álvaro Morata ahead of him, but also David Villa, among other historic players.