Pedro Manuel Torres
Encyclopedia
Pedro Manuel Torres aka Mantorras, is an Angola
n footballer who plays for C.D. Primeiro de Agosto as a striker.
His nickname derives from the fact that, as a child, he suffered slight accidental burns
, being then known as "Mantorras", from the Angolan expression "Mano Torras," which means "Toast
ed brother." His professional career, mainly spent with Benfica, was blighted by constant injury problems.
Mantorras played for Angola
in the 2000's, representing the nation at its very first
World Cup
.
, Mantorras started his career at Progresso Associação do Sambizanga
. He quickly caught the eye of Portuguese
scouts
, and transferred to F.C. Alverca
shortly thereafter, as that club acted also as Sport Lisboa e Benfica's farm team
. Most notably, he scored once in a surprising 3–1 home win over Sporting Clube de Portugal on 17 February 2001, and finished that season with nine league goals as the team managed to retain its top division status, finishing in 12th position.
At only 19, Mantorras signed with Benfica, making a particularly good impression during his first season at the club. He was then sought out by FC Barcelona
and also refused an offer from F.C. Internazionale Milano
in Italy
. During the player's quick rise to stardom, he was frequently described as the best player to come out of Portuguese Africa since Eusébio
left Mozambique
for Benfica in the early 1960s. Eusébio himself said of the youngster that, "He has special qualities and is set for a great future."
In 2002, Mantorras suffered a serious knee injury that almost put an end to his short career. He spent approximately two-and-a-half years recovering, during which he was subject to four surgical procedures. He returned to the pitch during the 2004–05 season, and managed to contribute sufficiently as the Águias ended an 11-year drought and won the national championship, with five goals in only 15 matches (four of those in the final two months).
Even though he was subsequently deemed to be fully recovered, Mantorras failed to re-establish himself as a first-team player, playing only in a few games throughout the next seasons combined. However, he remained a favorite with the club's supporters, additionally stating he would like to see out his career at Benfica, and that he would remain in the club even if he was not paid a salary.
Benfica won the league again in 2009–10, as well as the domestic league cup, also reaching the last eight in the UEFA Europa League, but Mantorras' output consisted of 10 minutes during the pre-season, in a 1–2 loss against Atlético Madrid; in mid-February 2011, one month shy of his 29th birthday, he announced his retirement from professional football.
since the age of 19, Mantorras was part of the national team which became the first ever African Portuguese-speaking country to qualify for the FIFA World Cup
, in 2006
. There, he played twice from the bench, including in the 0–1 group stage loss against Portugal
.
Even though he was only fifth or sixth-choice at Benfica at the time, Mantorras was also summoned for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, played on home soil. As Angola reached the last-eight, he only appeared once, again as a substitute, in a 2–0 win against Malawi
.
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.
"I feel so sorry for children in Angola," he stated. "I know what it's like to go hungry and to sleep on the street. My father died when I was three months old and my mother when I was 16. I had a brother to look after and became the head of the family [when I was] very young. I had a lot of difficulties early in my life. Now that my fortunes have improved, I'm going to do what I can to help the underprivileged."
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n footballer who plays for C.D. Primeiro de Agosto as a striker.
His nickname derives from the fact that, as a child, he suffered slight accidental burns
Burn
A burn is an injury to flesh caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation, or friction.Burn may also refer to:*Combustion*Burn , type of watercourses so named in Scotland and north-eastern England...
, being then known as "Mantorras", from the Angolan expression "Mano Torras," which means "Toast
Toast
Toast is bread that has been browned by exposure to radiant heat. This browning reaction is known as the Maillard reaction. Toasting warms the bread and makes it firmer, so it holds toppings more securely...
ed brother." His professional career, mainly spent with Benfica, was blighted by constant injury problems.
Mantorras played for Angola
Angola national football team
The Angola national football team, nicknamed Palancas Negras , is the national team of Angola and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Futebol. Angola reached 45th in the FIFA Rankings in July 2002...
in the 2000's, representing the nation at its very first
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
.
Club career
Born in HuamboHuambo
Huambo, formerly Nova Lisboa , is the capital of Huambo province in Angola. The city is located about 220 km E from Benguela and 600 km SE from Luanda. The city's last known population count was 225,268...
, Mantorras started his career at Progresso Associação do Sambizanga
Progresso Associação do Sambizanga
Progresso Associação do Sambizanga is an Angolan football club based in Luanda. They play their home games at the Campo de São Paulo.-Performance in CAF competitions:*CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance-Current squad:As of 2011, January 1...
. He quickly caught the eye of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
scouts
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
, and transferred to F.C. Alverca
F.C. Alverca
Futebol Clube de Alverca is a Portuguese football club based in Alverca do Ribatejo, Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon. Founded on 1 September 1939, it currently plays in the Lisbon District Championships.-History:...
shortly thereafter, as that club acted also as Sport Lisboa e Benfica's farm team
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
. Most notably, he scored once in a surprising 3–1 home win over Sporting Clube de Portugal on 17 February 2001, and finished that season with nine league goals as the team managed to retain its top division status, finishing in 12th position.
At only 19, Mantorras signed with Benfica, making a particularly good impression during his first season at the club. He was then sought out by FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and also refused an offer from F.C. Internazionale Milano
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. During the player's quick rise to stardom, he was frequently described as the best player to come out of Portuguese Africa since Eusébio
Eusébio
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM , commonly known simply as Eusébio, is a retired Mozambican-born Portuguese football forward. He is considered one of the best footballers of all-time by the IFFHS, experts and fans...
left Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
for Benfica in the early 1960s. Eusébio himself said of the youngster that, "He has special qualities and is set for a great future."
In 2002, Mantorras suffered a serious knee injury that almost put an end to his short career. He spent approximately two-and-a-half years recovering, during which he was subject to four surgical procedures. He returned to the pitch during the 2004–05 season, and managed to contribute sufficiently as the Águias ended an 11-year drought and won the national championship, with five goals in only 15 matches (four of those in the final two months).
Even though he was subsequently deemed to be fully recovered, Mantorras failed to re-establish himself as a first-team player, playing only in a few games throughout the next seasons combined. However, he remained a favorite with the club's supporters, additionally stating he would like to see out his career at Benfica, and that he would remain in the club even if he was not paid a salary.
Benfica won the league again in 2009–10, as well as the domestic league cup, also reaching the last eight in the UEFA Europa League, but Mantorras' output consisted of 10 minutes during the pre-season, in a 1–2 loss against Atlético Madrid; in mid-February 2011, one month shy of his 29th birthday, he announced his retirement from professional football.
International career
An Angolan internationalAngola national football team
The Angola national football team, nicknamed Palancas Negras , is the national team of Angola and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Futebol. Angola reached 45th in the FIFA Rankings in July 2002...
since the age of 19, Mantorras was part of the national team which became the first ever African Portuguese-speaking country to qualify for the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, in 2006
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
. There, he played twice from the bench, including in the 0–1 group stage loss against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
.
Even though he was only fifth or sixth-choice at Benfica at the time, Mantorras was also summoned for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, played on home soil. As Angola reached the last-eight, he only appeared once, again as a substitute, in a 2–0 win against Malawi
Malawi national football team
The Malawi national football team, nicknamed The Flames, is the national team of Malawi and is controlled by the Football Association of Malawi. Before 1966 they were known as the Nyasaland national football team...
.
Club
- Portuguese League: 2004–05 2004–05
- Portuguese CupTaça de PortugalThe Taça de Portugal is the main Portuguese national football knock-out competition. The tournament has been officially known as the Taça de Portugal Millennium since 2008, due to its sponsorship by Portuguese private bank Millennium BCP. It has occurred on a yearly basis since 1938 and is...
: 2003–04 - Portuguese Supercup: 2005
- Portuguese League Cup: 2008–09
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Alverca F.C. Alverca Futebol Clube de Alverca is a Portuguese football club based in Alverca do Ribatejo, Vila Franca de Xira, Lisbon. Founded on 1 September 1939, it currently plays in the Lisbon District Championships.-History:... |
1999–00 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2000–01 | 26 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 9 | |
| Benfica | 2001–02 | 30 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 13 |
| 2002–03 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2003–04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 5 | |
| 2005–06 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 3 | |
| 2006–07 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 3 | |
| 2007–08 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2008–09 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2009–10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total (Portugal) | 132 | 38 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 161 | 40 | |
| Career Total | 132 | 38 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 161 | 40 | |
- Last updated on 24 May 2011
International
|-|2001||2||0
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|2002||2||0
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|2003||0||0
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|2004||0||0
|-
|2005||3||1
|-
|2006||8||1
|-
|2007||2||1
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|2008||3||1
|-
|2009||7||0
|-
|2010||2||0
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!Total||29||4
|}
Personal
Mantorras did not forget his humble roots: soon after joining Benfica, he turned his thoughts to the less fortunate in his homeland, promising to donate a hefty percentage of his wages to set up a home for street kids in LuandaLuanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
.
"I feel so sorry for children in Angola," he stated. "I know what it's like to go hungry and to sleep on the street. My father died when I was three months old and my mother when I was 16. I had a brother to look after and became the head of the family [when I was] very young. I had a lot of difficulties early in my life. Now that my fortunes have improved, I'm going to do what I can to help the underprivileged."