MEXICO CITY – His field awareness, movement, passing ability and knack for scoring earned Mexico’s Jairo Torres the Golden Ball award as the best player in the recently-completed CONCACAF Under-17 Championship.
For all his talents, the 16-year-old midfielder is equally as skilled in crediting teammates for his personal success in Panama.
"I am very happy because it is an achievement, but I would not have achieved it without the team because a player does not win the games alone and I am grateful to my team,” said the humble Torres, who made his Liga MX debut in a 1-0 loss at Jaguares de Chiapas on November 19, 2016. “I go quietly with my normal process and whatever comes next.”
His performances were pivotal in Mexico’s run to a third consecutive CONCACAF crown, piloting an offense that produced a tournament-best 22 goals, including three of his own.
Mexico’s next test is the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be played in India from October 6-28.
"It was always a great challenge to match or improve what Mexico had done in previous tournaments,” Torres finished. “Mexico has always been a power in this category, already with two titles. Let's look for the best role to become world champions again."
