In Honor of Tadanari Lee, A History of International Championship Winning Goals

Filed under: FIFA World Cup, International Soccer, U.S. Men's National Team

Liverpool fans burned a Fernando Torres jersey on Monday night, furious that the striker their club pried from his hometown team in Madrid for tens of millions of pounds left Merseyside after three-plus seasons for Chelsea's tens of millions of pounds.

Torres probably didn't grow up dreaming of playing for the Reds or the Blues. His favorite team was Atlético, and he played at his boyhood club for a dozen years. Those ties were loosened only when Rafael Benítez came calling in 2007.

Liverpool fans may be angry, but Torres was never really theirs to begin with.

The final day of the European transfer window was yet another reminder that club soccer is a business first. Players are motivated largely by the trappings of the pro game -- the money, the titles, endorsements and prestige. That's not a criticism. It's the nature of the beast.

 

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Broc Hepler Rob Herring George Holland Jeremy van Horebeek Kent Howerton