After a night of pomp and circumstance, Fernando Torres' professional career came to a close on Friday as he played his last game wearing the neon blue and pink of Sagan Tosu.
Across from him on the pitch were two players with whom he won the 2010 FIFA World Cup — current Vissel Kobe stars Andres Iniesta and David Villa. The bouquets, postgame speeches and Atletico Madrid-inspired shirts Tosu players wore in honor of Torres' longtime Spanish club added to the testimonial-like atmosphere.
But there was an actual game with real stakes in the J. League's first division to be played, and it ended in a humiliating 6-1 Sagan loss in front of a capacity crowd at Ekimae Real Estate Stadium. Not that the capacity crowd of over 23,000 seemed to mind, cheering Torres as he gave his farewell speech, took a lap of honor and was hoisted into the air by his teammates.