Mantorras
{{short description|Angolan footballer (born 1982)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Mantorras
|image =
|full_name = Pedro Manuel Torres
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1982|3|18|df=y}}
|birth_place = Huambo, Angola
|height = 1.78 m
|position = Striker
|youthyears1 = 1999 | youthclubs1 = Progresso
|years1 = 1999–2001 | clubs1 = Alverca | caps1 = 31 | goals1 = 9
|years2 = 2001–2011 | clubs2 = Benfica | caps2 = 101 | goals2 = 29
|totalcaps = 132 | totalgoals = 38
|nationalyears1 = 2001 | nationalteam1 = Angola U20 | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 1
|nationalyears2 = 2001–2010 | nationalteam2 = Angola | nationalcaps2 = 33 | nationalgoals2 = 5
}}
Pedro Manuel Torres (born 18 March 1982), known as Mantorras, is an Angolan former professional footballer who played as a striker.
His nickname derives from the fact that, as a child, he suffered slight accidental burns, being then known as "Mantorras" from the Angolan expression "Mano Torras," which means "toasted brother".{{cite web|url=http://historiastolas.blogspot.pt/2007_10_01_archive.html|title=Mantorras joga Paintball|trans-title=Mantorras plays Paintball|publisher=Histórias Tolas|language=pt|date=28 October 2007|access-date=5 October 2014}} His professional career, mainly spent with Benfica, was blighted by constant injury problems which cause him to retire at just 30 years old.[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/025a-0eaa0c99a09f-dc024de96917-1000--benfica-show-belief-in-mantorras/ Benfica show belief in Mantorras]; UEFA, 4 July 2005[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/6965429.stm Mantorras out for three months]; BBC Sport, 27 August 2007
Mantorras played for Angola in the 2000s, representing the nation at the 2006 World Cup and two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
Club career
Born in Huambo, Mantorras started his career at Progresso Associação do Sambizanga. He quickly caught the eye of Portuguese scouts, and transferred to F.C. Alverca shortly thereafter as that club acted also as S.L. Benfica's farm team. Most notably, he scored once in a 3–1 home win over Sporting Clube de Portugal on 17 February 2001, and finished that season with nine league goals as the team managed to retain their Primeira Liga status, finishing in 12th position.{{cite web|url=http://www.zerozero.pt/text.php?id=5226|title=Pedro Mantorras: a alegria da Luz|trans-title=Pedro Mantorras: the joy of the Light|publisher=Zerozero|language=pt|date=17 January 2013|access-date=3 January 2017}}
At 19, Mantorras signed with Benfica, making a particularly good impression during his first season and being subsequently sought out by FC Barcelona and Inter Milan. During his quick rise to stardom, he was frequently described as the best player to come out of Portuguese Africa since Eusébio left Mozambique for Benfica in the early 1960s; the latter himself said of the former: "He has special qualities and is set for a great future".{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/benfica/interior/mantorras-nunca-ninguem-se-vai-comparar-a-eusebio-3617317.html|title=Mantorras: "Nunca ninguém se vai comparar a Eusébio"|trans-title=Mantorras: "No one will ever compare to Eusébio"|publisher=Diário de Notícias|language=pt|date=6 January 2014|access-date=3 January 2017}}
In 2002, Mantorras suffered a serious knee injury that almost put an end to his short career.[https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0182-0f8ecd3305c9-bad78a275242-1000--benfica-hit-by-mantorras-injury/ Benfica hit by Mantorras injury]; UEFA, 26 February 2002[https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/025e-0f905dc45da2-5fd0463e3967-1000--benfica-to-miss-mantorras/ Benfica to miss Mantorras]; UEFA, 16 December 2002 He spent approximately two-and-a-half years recovering, during which he was subject to four surgical procedures. He returned to the pitch during the 2004–05 campaign, and managed to contribute sufficiently as Benfica ended an 11-year drought and won the national championship, with five goals in only 15 matches (four of those in the final two months).[https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/01a8-0f8ea3cb6d9f-cba49521380f-1000--benfica-stay-six-points-clear/ Benfica stay six points clear]; UEFA, 4 April 2005[https://web.archive.org/web/20121024014404/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=297782.html Benfica speed away from Sporting]; UEFA, 24 April 2005
Even though he was subsequently deemed to be fully recovered, Mantorras failed to re-establish himself as a first-team player, playing only in a few games throughout the next seasons combined. However, he remained a fan favourite, additionally stating he would like to see out his career at the club and that he would remain there even if he was not paid a salary.[http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=693460&idCanal=11 Mantorras: «Luisinho, ainda vai chegar a hora do papá» (Mantorras: "Luisinho, daddy's time will still come")] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111239/http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=693460&idCanal=11|date=29 September 2007}}; Record, 10 January 2006 (in Portuguese)
Benfica won the league again in 2009–10, as well as the domestic league cup, also reaching the last eight in the UEFA Europa League, but Mantorras' output consisted of ten minutes during the pre-season, in a 2–1 loss against Atlético Madrid; in mid-February 2011, one month shy of his 29th birthday, he announced his retirement from professional football, making a short and unsuccessful comeback with C.D. Primeiro de Agosto later on.{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/futebol-internacional/mantorras-vai-jogar-no-1-de-agosto-de-angola_d449958|title=Mantorras vai jogar no 1.º de Agosto, de Angola|trans-title=Mantorras will play in 1.º de Agosto, from Angola|publisher=Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|language=pt|date=8 June 2011|access-date=22 October 2018}}
In June 2012, Mantorras returned to Benfica as club ambassador.{{cite news|url=https://www.ojogo.pt/futebol/1a-liga/benfica/noticias/interior/mantorras-vai-ser-embaixador-do-benfica-2593045.html|title=Mantorras vai ser embaixador do Benfica|trans-title=Mantorras to be an ambassador for Benfica|publisher=O Jogo|language=pt|date=5 June 2012|access-date=8 June 2012}} The following month, on the 18th, he received a testimonial match at the Estádio da Luz, facing an All-Star team which included Luís Figo, Edgar Davids, Luís Boa Morte, Teddy Sheringham, Dwight Yorke, Paulo Futre, Ronaldo, Francesco Toldo, Fabio Cannavaro, Fernando Couto, Míchel Salgado, Serginho, Pauleta, Juliano Belletti and Mateja Kežman, and netting the fourth goal in a 5–1 win;{{cite web|url=http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/more-benfica-news/35718-benfica-bid-mantorras-farewell|title=Benfica bid Mantorras farewell|publisher=PortuGOAL|date=19 July 2012|access-date=28 August 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://www.abola.pt/jogodirecto/ficha.aspx?id=154621|title=Mantorras despede-se da Luz com um golo|trans-title=Mantorras says goodbye to Luz with a goal|publisher=A Bola|language=pt|date=18 July 2012|access-date=19 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721070435/http://www.abola.pt/jogodirecto/ficha.aspx?id=154621|archive-date=21 July 2012|url-status=dead}} after the match he praised the club fans in an interview, and dedicated his goal to them for all the support he received during his spell.{{cite news|url=http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=342725|title="Golo foi para dar alegria aos adeptos do Benfica" – Mantorras|trans-title="I scored to make fans of Benfica happy" – Mantorras|publisher=A Bola|language=pt|date=18 July 2012|access-date=19 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213095008/http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=342725|archive-date=13 February 2017|url-status=dead}} His former manager Jorge Jesus praised his efforts, as well as the money raised in the game by both teams.{{cite news|url=http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=342724|title="Foi uma festa à Benfica" – Jorge Jesus|trans-title="It was a Benfica-like party" – Jorge Jesus|publisher=A Bola|language=pt|date=18 July 2012|access-date=19 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721235157/http://www.abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=342724|archive-date=21 July 2012|url-status=dead}}
International career
Mantorras represented Angola at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, in Argentina. He scored in a 1–1 group stage draw against Australia, helping his country eventually reach the round-of-16.
A full international since the age of 19, Mantorras was part of the national team which became the first ever African Portuguese-speaking country to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, in 2006. There, he played twice from the bench, including in the 0–1 group stage loss against Portugal.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4852704.stm|title=Angola 0–1 Portugal|publisher=BBC Sport|date=11 June 2006|access-date=5 October 2014}}
Even though he was only fifth or sixth-choice at Benfica at the time, Mantorras was also summoned for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, played on home soil. As Angola reached the last-eight he only appeared once, again as a substitute, in a 2–0 win over Malawi.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8457784.stm|title=Angola 2–0 Malawi|publisher=BBC Sport|date=14 January 2010|access-date=3 January 2017}}
Personal life
Soon after joining Benfica, Mantorras promised to donate a large percentage of his wages to set up a home for street children in Luanda. He related their plight to his own experiences: "My father died when I was three months old and my mother when I was 16. I had a brother to look after and became the head of the family [when I was] very young. I had a lot of difficulties early in my life. Now that my fortunes have improved, I'm going to do what I can to help the underprivileged".{{cite web|url=http://www.angonoticias.com/Artigos/item/492|title=Pedro Mantorras: O perfume do futebol|trans-title=Pedro Mantorras: Football's perfume|publisher=Ango Notícias|language=pt|date=5 April 2004|access-date=3 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://noticias.sapo.ao/info/artigo/993869.html|title=Mantorras: o bamboleio de um angolano glorioso|trans-title=Mantorras: the waddle of a glorious Angolan|publisher=SAPO|language=pt|date=20 May 2009|access-date=3 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104000611/http://noticias.sapo.ao/info/artigo/993869.html|archive-date=4 January 2017|url-status=dead}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{ForaDeJogo}}{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/pedro-manuel-mantorras/97/|title=Mantorras|website=Soccerway|access-date=12 December 2014}} | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|League cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Alverca
|5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01
|26 | 9 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 28 | 9 | ||
| colspan="1"|Total
!31 | 9 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 34 | 9 | ||
| rowspan="11"|Benfica
|30 | 13 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 33 | 13 | ||
| 2002–03
|8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2003–04
!colspan="10"|– | |||||||||
| 2004–05
|15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 2 | 0 | 18 | 5 | |
| 2005–06
|17 | 3 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 5 | 0 | 24 | 3 | |
| 2006–07
|17 | 2 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 5 | 0 | 25 | 3 | |
| 2007–08
|9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 2 |
| 2008–09
|5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2009–10
|0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010–11
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| colspan="1"|Total
!101 | 29 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 129 | 31 |
| colspan="2"|Career total
!132 | 38 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 163 | 40 |
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="10"|Angola
|2001 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2006 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 33 | 5 |
:Scores and results list Angola's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mantorras goal.
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Mantorras{{cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/183/Mantorras.html|title=Mantorras|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=19 April 2017}} | ||||||
| scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center"|1 | 17 August 2005 | Estádio José Gomes, Amadora, Portugal | {{fb|CPV}} | style="text-align:center"|1–1 | style="text-align:center"|2–1 | Friendly |
| style="text-align:center"|2 | 4 September 2005 | Estádio da Cidadela, Luanda, Angola | {{fb|GAB}} | style="text-align:center"|2–0 | style="text-align:center"|3–0 | 2006 World Cup qualification |
| style="text-align:center"|3 | 17 January 2006 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco | {{fb|MAR}} | style="text-align:center"|2–2 | style="text-align:center"|2–2 | Friendly |
| style="text-align:center"|4 | 25 March 2007 | Estádio da Cidadela, Luanda, Angola | {{fb|ERI}} | style="text-align:center"|2–0 | style="text-align:center"|6–1 | 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| style="text-align:center"|5 | 14 June 2008 | Mandela National Stadium, Kampala, Uganda | {{fb|UGA}} | style="text-align:center"|1–3 | style="text-align:center"|1–3 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
Honours
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2004–05
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2005; runner-up: 2004
- Taça de Portugal: 2003–04; runner-up: 2004–05
International
'Individual
- CAF Young Player: 2001
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book|last1=Gabriel Quaresma|first1=José|title=Mantorras, livro directo|trans-title=Mantorras, direct book (pun on "livre directo", which means "direct free kick" in Portuguese|date=July 2007|publisher=PrimeBooks|isbn=978-989-8028-42-6|edition=First}}
External links
- {{ForaDeJogo}}
- {{NFT player}}
- {{FIFA player}}
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090120130650/http://www.girabola.com/pedro-manuel-torres-mantorras/ Girabola profile]}} {{in lang|pt}}{{dead link|date=March 2019}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Angola squads
| bg = #d81e05
| fg = yellow
|bordercolor= black
|list1=
{{Angola squad 2006 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Angola squad 2006 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Angola squad 2010 Africa Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list =
{{CAF Most Promising Talent of the Year}}
{{U-20 Africa Cup of Nations awards}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mantorras}}
Category:Sportspeople from Huambo
Category:Angolan men's footballers
Category:21st-century Angolan sportsmen
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Progresso Associação do Sambizanga players
Category:Primeira Liga players
Category:S.L. Benfica footballers
Category:Angola men's international footballers
Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players
Category:2006 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:2010 Africa Cup of Nations players
Category:Angolan expatriate men's footballers