Chivas USA's Erick Torres (pictured) received his first Mexico call-up on August 21, 2014. (Photo: Mexsport)
CARSON, California – Chivas USA striker Erick Torres was one of six foreign-based players called up by Mexico head coach Miguel Herrera on Thursday for a pair of friendlies next month in the United States.
The other five – Javier Aquino (Rayo Vallecano/Spain), Giovani Dos Santos (Villarreal/Spain), Andres Guardado (Valencia/Spain), Hector Herrera (Porto/Portugal) and Guillermo Ochoa (Malaga/Spain) – are national team veterans, while Torres received his first-ever invitation.
“I feel very happy,” said Torres, 21. “I believe (the call) arrives at a very good point in my career. I know I’m young, but I feel ready. I bring a lot of experience from Guadalajara, and now from here in the United States, and I feel ready to take on this new challenge in my life, to start this new trip with Mexico’s national team, and I hope I can take advantage of it.”
Torres started his professional career with Guadalajara, debuting in a November 2010 match against Monterrey. He played in 64 matches and scored 14 for Chivas, before being sent on loan to Major League Soccer’s Chivas USA in July 2013.
Since arriving in Southern California, Torres has flourished with 21 goals in just 38 games, including 14 tallies in 23 matches during the current campaign.
Though it is Torres’ initial involvement with the senior team, he has previously played for several youth national teams, including the under-17 and under-20 teams squads. In 2011, he scored one goal in seven games as Mexico finished in third place at FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.
Mexico, which reached the Round of 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, will face Chile on September 6 in Santa Clara, California, and will square off against Bolivia in Commerce City, Colorado, three days later.
