Mid-autograph, the manager at Nom Wah had just asked customers not to use flash photography — then turned around, saw who was sitting in the restaurant, and immediately asked for a photo of his own. It was a quiet afternoon in early August, Ferran Torres visiting New York, the location Chinatown in Lower Manhattan. Just a few weeks had passed since the goal that secured Spain's second World Cup title.
In an interview with Hypebeast, the 26-year-old said the goal "will probably be the most important moment of my life, for me, for the whole country, and for my family." The interview took place on a short walk of just a few blocks between the Hypebeast office and Nom Wah, and tourists kept recognizing him and calling out his name along the way. He stopped for photos and even signed an FC Barcelona jersey. "Three years ago when I came to New York, I could still walk the streets by myself. Now everyone recognizes me."
What he wanted most after the win wasn't to disappear to some remote island — it was to go back to Spain and watch people celebrating in the streets. "Seeing everyone flood the streets like that, it was just unbelievable." Back in Barcelona for just a day, fans were already waiting outside his front door. During his New York trip he went to Central Park, sat on a bench and watched people pass by, and when he got back to his hotel, twenty fans were standing outside. He joked he might need to find a new place to live in Barcelona.
He Hit Up SKYLRK Before the Final — and He's Keeping the Boots Next to the Trophy
Torres describes himself as a certified sneakerhead — "I even buy shoes I know I'll never wear." Before the final, he swung by the pop-up for SKYLRK, Justin Bieber's new brand, and walked out with roughly ten pieces — tops, pants, and shoes. "I almost bought out the whole store." Right after the final ended, he threw on a pair of SKYLRK sunglasses to celebrate. He listens to Bieber before nearly every training session and match — his top three tracks are "Beauty and a Beat," "Baby," and "Lifetime," which he says captures the feeling of being in love. He really wanted to meet Bieber in person during the World Cup, but unfortunately never got the chance during the halftime show.
The boots on his feet when he scored the winning goal were the Under Armour Shadow Elite, and he plans to display that pair alongside the trophy in a space at home big enough for both. Day-to-day, his go-to is the Under Armour Flex. Over the past year he's been deliberately moving away from the typical footballer look, aiming for something more chill. He always builds an outfit starting with the pants, leans toward all-black — "for me, all-black is the perfect outfit" — and cites the Beckham father-son duo as style references, along with Bieber's approach to dressing.
Over a plate of chicken feet at Nom Wah, he was asked if he'd ever tried them before — that answer didn't make it into the transcript — but he was refreshingly honest talking about food otherwise. His favorite dish is paella from his hometown Valencia, which he insists is the best in the world. Spain doesn't have Shake Shack or Krispy Kreme, so during the World Cup he made a point of bringing a box of donuts back for the team, and his teammates were all instantly hooked. On off days, his go-to routine is hiking with his dog, and he also calls padel his "second sport."
