The Seattle Sounders will honor former player Román Torres prior to Saturday night’s home match against the Houston Dynamo (7:30 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS) as part of the 50th Anniversary celebration.
A fan favorite throughout his time in Seattle, Torres was a constant presence during his six-season stint with the club, playing a pivotal rule in an unprecedented run of success.
Whether it be during regular season play, MLS playoffs, or on the international stage, Torres made a name for himself as arguably one of the best defenders in franchise history.
Ahead of Saturday night, we’re taking a look back at his most notable accomplishments throughout his career with the Seattle Sounders:
2x MLS Cup Champion
The center back is one of just a handful of players from the organization who played a part in both the 2016 and 2019 MLS Cup title wins. Torres’ penalty kick in the 2016 final vs. Toronto FC goes down as one of the most iconic moments in club history, clinching the Sounders’ first-ever MLS Cup trophy. His lock-down defense was significant in Seattle’s 2016 win as well, as he helped keep a clean sheet against Toronto’s prolific attack headlined by Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore.
In 2019, he helped guide the Sounders to MLS Cup glory against TFC once again. Torres started and helped marshal the backline as Seattle won its second championship – this time in front 70,000 fans at Lumen Field.
Raving Regular Seasons
Torres finished his tenure at the Sounders organization with 4,709 regular season minutes, 220 clearances, 94 interceptions, three assists and a goal. His most notable season came in 2017, where he set career highs in his 23 featured appearances, recording 1,787 minutes, 85 clearances, 29 interceptions and two assists. One of those assists came during a Cascadia rivalry clash against the Portland Timbers after he crossed the ball into the box for Clint Dempsey to redirect with his head and equalize the match in the 94th minute. His standout efforts in 2017 earned him his second consecutive MLS Latino del Año award that recognizes the top Latin player in the league.
His impact continued into 2019, when he initiated the momentum in the lead up to playoffs with his first and only career regular season goal in the team’s 1-0 Decision Day victory over Minnesota United.
International Accolades
Torres played a vital role on Panama’s National Team, serving as captain for the Central America side for five years. His leadership position carried over into Panama’s first-ever World Cup in 2018, after the center back scored the game-winning goal in the team’s 2-1 qualifying match-victory over Costa Rica. The one-time volley in the 88th minute later earned him CONCACAF’s Best XI honors in 2017. He made his international debut in 2005 and remained on the team until 2019, making 120 appearances over the course of 14 years.
