Fernando Torres
Appointed captain of Club Atlético de Madrid at the age of 19, Torres was playing against Real Sociedad in 2006/07 when his captain's armband slipped off. Spotting it hanging off his arm, an eagle-eyed photographer took a picture and noticed a phrase written underneath the armband.
'We'll Never Walk Alone', it said. It had been printed on there by his closest friends, in a show of support, but the connection to Liverpool FC and our You'll Never Walk Alone anthem was obvious.
At the end of that season, the Spanish international striker signed for Liverpool FC for a Club-record transfer fee. “Maybe that was the day I took my first step towards Anfield,” Torres later admitted when asked about the photo of his armband.
With pace to burn and deadly in front of goal, it wasn't just Torres' recognisable blonde hair that stood out in 2007/08. Torres, who was nicknamed 'El Nino' (the kid), was absolutely brilliant – as was the goal he scored on his debut against Chelsea FC.
After receiving the ball he dropped his shoulder, glided past the defender marking him and placed a shot beyond Petr Cech into the far corner. It was trademark Torres and he scored in exactly the same manner on the final day of the season at Tottenham Hotspur FC to take his Premier League tally to 24.
It was the first time a Liverpool FC striker had struck 20 league goals since Robbie Fowler, but long before then the Kop had conjured up a classic song to show their admiration for a player many Reds affectionately referred to as 'Nando'.
His armband proved he was a red, Torres, Torres,You'll Never Walk Alone it said, Torres, Torres. We bought the lad from sunny Spain, He gets the ball he scores again, Fernando Torres, Liverpool's number nine. Bounce!
Not only did it sound amazing, Liverpool FC supporters would bounce while singing a second verse of 'nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah, nah nah, nah nah' to the same tune, a phenomenon that became known as the 'Torres Bounce'.
The Torres song was also so recognisable that Fernando's boot manufacturers used it as part of an advert featuring him ahead of Euro 2008, a tournament in which he scored the winning goal in the final for Spain against Germany.
Torres also clocked up some milestones in 2007/08. He became the first Liverpool FC striker to score in eight successive home league games since Roger Hunt in the 1960s, and set a new record for the most league goals scored by a non-British player during a debut season in the top-flight of English football.
An injury-hit start to 2008/09 kept his total down to 17 goals, but he did net twice in wins against Everton FC, Manchester City FC and Chelsea FC. He was also on target in a memorable 4-1 victory against Manchester United FC at Old Trafford and, four days later, in a sensational 4-0 win against Real Madrid CF at Anfield in the UEFA Champions League. As an Atléti supporter and ex-player, it was a special night for him.
His 22 goals in 2009/10 included strikes home and away against Manchester United FC and a hat-trick in a 6-1 thrashing of Hull City FC at Anfield. He scored 18 goals in 22 Premier League appearances, becoming the fastest Liverpool FC player to reach 50 goals, but injuries were taking their toll.
In the first half of 2010/11 he netted just six times under the management of Roy Hodgson and although he added three to that tally when Sir Kenny Dalglish took charge, in January 2011 Torres handed in a transfer request and signed for Chelsea FC.
He left with a record of 81 goals in 142 games for Liverpool FC and his replacement arrived from AFC Ajax on the very same day...
