At the relatively mature age of 27, left-back Aureliano Torres will get his first taste of FIFA World Cup™ fever in South Africa.<\/P>
The full-back, who plays for San Lorenzo de Almagro in Argentina, has started two recent friendlies, playing in the defeat against Qatar and the draw with South Africa. Coach Gerardo Martino also picked Torres in most of Paraguay’s qualifiers, including the hard-fought victories against Brazil and Argentina.<\/P>
Torres first came to prominence in 2000, playing for Paraguayan minnows Irapuato. After two seasons, and at the tender age of 20, Japanese club Kyoto Sanga swooped for the hard-tackling defender. But his stay in Asia was brief, and when he failed to settle so far from home, he returned to his homeland the following season, subsequently playing for Deportivo Recoleta, Sol and Guarani.<\/P>
It was during his time at Guarani that Torres enjoyed the finest moment of his career to date, making history as a member of Paraguay’s silver medal-winning squad at the Athens Olympics in 2004. The defender’s consistent performances caught the eye of Murcia, in Spain’s top flight, although, once again, Torres stayed away for just one season: the 2005\/06 campaign. After a short spell back at Guarani, Argentinian club San Lorenzo swooped for him, and he helped his new club win the Clausura championship in his first season.<\/P>
The experienced defender is currently in fine form, and has earned rave reviews in his fourth season in Argentina. He will be a major asset to his country in South Africa, and will especially look forward to the South Americans’ first game, against Italy, on 14 June. Two days later, Torres turns 28, and he will be looking to celebrate his birthday in style.<\/P>","9085EF0B5B518612":"68 kg","C99F63DD4716E450533B17E1817DB7B9":"1982-6-16","C497EA9EA23AEEDCAF9AD5DB76B19323":"","BFE43781BF2A8A9E3EADFCC3CC1AF971":"1","7DECC0B2C7F83A01B36F8F67FA49C295":"2012","776ABA890334BE6B3BFB7EFC5D96F457":"Toluca","38FCF119BEE99893":"CA Penarol","5E5612EA3A8A833D":"179cm","4ADA354908754559E53E3FA7C013DA37":"21","2299C98649C2E7A9E5F02ED855F2A9FC":"Toluca,San Lorenzo,Murcia,Guarani Futebol Clube,Irapuato FC,Kyoto Purple Sanga","2B1A74B80063A830":"1","e_index":6};