We are nearing the end of 2010 and it’s time to look back at the goals, photos and memories of what has been a roller-coaster year. The high point for Fernando Torres was of course the World Cup. A squad of 23 players coached by Vicente Del Bosque conquered football’s biggest prize as Spain beat the Netherlands in the final to win their first World Cup.

This year has also seen the Spaniard score some crackers, break goalscoring records and achieve several personal awards and accolades. Unfortunately there have been several low points for the striker with two knee operations and a poor season both domestically and on the continent for Liverpool.

Welcome to the six main highlights of Fernando Torres’ 2010.

1- Torres was voted into the Top 50 all-time strikers to have played in England. Two and a half seasons was all it took for the Liverpool number ‘9’ to be voted in 29th place, alongside many colleagues who spent all of large parts of their careers in English football like: Eric Cantona, Henry or Zola.

In March, Fernando Torres was voted the City of Liverpool’s Sportsmen of the Year for a second year running. The only previous player to have achieved this feat was Kenny Dalglish (in 1979 and 1980).

The flip side of the coin for the forward was surgery to repair his right knee after the striker was injured playing for the Merseysiders’ against Reading in the FA Cup..

 - Fernando Torres, one of the all-time top 50 strikers in British football -
 - Forward retains Sports Personality of the Year crown -
 - Fernando Torres’ meniscus operation considered a success -

2- Four back-to-back doubles at Anfield. In April, and for the first time in the Club’s history, a player scored two goals in four consecutive matches on Merseyside. Striking legends Rush, Dalglish, Fowler and Owen all failed where Torres triumphed. The run started in March against Portsmouth, with also Lille, Sunderland and Benfica all conceding two goals apiece to the Spaniard. Fernando also scored at Old Trafford, but his goal wasn’t enough to earn the Reds a point as Manchester United edged out their north-west neighbours 2-1.

The low point was another operation on the forward’s right knee. The surgery meant that Torres missed out on a return to the Vicente Calderon Stadium to face his boyhood team Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Europa League. The Rojiblancos beat Liverpool in extra-time at Anfield on their way to the title.
The Anfield club ended the season in seventh place in the Premier League with 63 points (18 wins, 9 draw and 11 losses). The Reds’ poor away form, with just five wins in 19 visits, proved to be their downfall as they failed to qualify for the Champions League.

 - Fernando Torres sets another goalscoring record at Anfield -
 - Torres strikes first but Liverpool fall to defeat -
 - Fernando Torres has knee surgery in Barcelona -

3- Fernando Torres selected in Premier League Star XI and his goal against Sunderland voted Liverpool’s Goal of the Season. The Kid made the league’s best team courtesy of the Castrol Index, and the rating achieved by the striker was bettered by just four players Ronaldo, Messi, Rooney and Higuaín.

For the third year running the Spain and Liverpool number ‘9’ scored his club’s Goal of the Season, the victims this time were Sunderland. Torres also scored the Reds’ second (Vs Manchester United) and sixth (Vs Aston Villa) best goals of the season..

 - Castrol places Torres in best Premier League star eleven -
 - Torres makes it a hat-trick of ‘Goals of the Season’ for Liverpool -

4- Fernando Torres added another international title to his honours list as Spain won the 2010 World Cup. The trophy joins the 2008 European Championships title won in Austria-Switzerland, the Under 19s European Championships title won in Norway in 2002, and the Under 16s European Championships title won in England in 2001.

Torres was facing a race against time as he looked to return from injury in time for the World Cup. With the help of physiotherapists Eduardo Parra and Ivan Ortega the ‘Niño’ worked around the clock in Vigo and Santiago de Compostela (two Galician cities on the north coast of Spain).

The Kid made the squad, but the European Champions South Africa debut didn’t go to plan. Spain slipped to a shock defeat in their opening match against Switzerland. But the side coached by Vicente Del Bosque never looked back, beating Honduras, Chile, Portugal, Paraguay, Germany and the Netherlands in the World Cup final.

Fernando Torres now had a World Cup winners’ medal and the triumph also led to the Spain team being awarded the prestigious Prince of Asturias Prize for Sport. The triumphant Spain team were welcomed by millions of fans who lined the streets of Madrid.

 - Torres thanks Compostela and Celta football clubs folllowing stay in Galicia -
 - Spain are the World Cup champions! -
 - Torres adds World Cup to list of international titles -
 - Spain triumph at 2010 Prince Asturias Awards -

5- Fernando Torres’ shirt and number a world bestseller, and his book is translated into Japanese. For the second year running, the Liverpool striker’s red top was the most sold out of all Premier League player shirts. Torres’ shirt and number outsold fellow pros: Gerrard, Rooney, Fábregas, Lampard and Drogba.

The Spaniard’s book ‘El Niño, My Story’, also conquered the Asian market as the book popular publication was translated into Japanese. The interest in the forward in the Far East proved just how popular the striker had become to the football loving masses in Japan.

 - Premier League’s Torres shirt tops worldwide sales for second year running -
 - Torres’ autobiography ‘My story’ conquers Japan -

6- A double from Torres against Chelsea, PFA Player Award for November and in the running for a place in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI. Despite Liverpool’s struggling form, the striker was on fire for his club. Five goals for the forward lifted the Reds away from the drop zone. The marksman netted against Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and Wigan. Torres also set-up teammate Maxi with a sublime flick for the only goal of the game away to Bolton Wanderers. Four games, and maximum points for the Merseysiders moved the Anfield club to within striking distance of the teams fighting for a European berth. His top performances saw Torres win November’s ESPN-PFA Player Award; a monthly prize awarded to one player thanks to the votes from fans. For the third year running the Niño is also a candidate for a place in the FIFA/FIFPro World XI. The winners will be announced at the FIFA Golden Ball Award Ceremony to be held in Zurich on January 10.

Fernando Torres’ brace against high-flying Chelsea was back page news across the UK. The Blues were top and had lost just one game in ten, that was until their visit to Anfield. The forward scored a classy first with a fine finish past Cech, before curling home a right-foot drive into the far corner. Two goals from Torres and 2-0 to Liverpool.

 - A Torres double destroys Chelsea as Reds make it three league wins on the trot -
 - Torres shortlisted for the FIFA FIPro World XI 2010 for the third year running -
 - Striker named PFA Player of the Month for November -