They say that fortune favors the brave, and Luca de la Torre has never lacked courage, keen to challenge himself and rise to the occasion whatever obstacles lay in his path. Now enjoying increased opportunities to shine in LaLiga with Celta Vigo, the midfielder from San Diego could become a key ingredient for the USMNT.
But it’s also fair to say that Lady Luck has been a cruel mistress, presenting de la Torre with additional and frustrating periods over the last several months. His big move to LaLiga side Celta Vigo required huge amounts of patience, often overlooked whenever team sheets were named, yet his own determination and sense of positivity never wavered.
Then came a muscular injury in October, which almost ruined the dreams of joining the U.S. at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. de la Torre managed to recover just in time, and was named on the roster for the tournament, although he didn’t get a chance to play a single minute on the field. But it was another valuable learning experience.
Once all the razzmatazz of the big show ended in Qatar, with the U.S. eliminated in the Round of 16 by the Netherlands, de la Torre headed back to Spain and Celta Vigo with another challenge ahead. Yet, with a new head coach at the helm, de la Torre would finally get the rewards his determination and effort richly deserved.
Since the start of 2023, the 24-year-old has taken full advantage of every minute played for Celta Vigo, gradually forging himself an important role within the starting eleven. Not without coincidence, their form in LaLiga has also improved significantly, while de la Torre has begun to thrive and enjoy all the benefits that come with playing for a winning team.
This version of de la Torre is one that undoubtedly warrants greater appreciation, as the U.S. roster make final preparations for their next two CONCACAF Nations League matches. First up is the trip to Grenada on Thursday, quickly followed on March 28 by the home game in Orlando against El Salvador.
Winning form and renewed optimism in LaLiga
Having made his professional breakthrough at English side Fulham in 2016-17, regular playing opportunities were sparse for de la Torre. He made just 14 appearances over the course of four seasons. But after switching to Dutch side Heracles Almelo in 2020, the American was given more scope to showcase his abilities.
Heracles certainly valued his contribution over the course of two campaigns at the club, although when the chance of a move to Spain beckoned, de la Torre couldn’t resist the chance to explore his paternal roots. Celta Vigo swooped in July 2022, yet beyond the initial excitement, playing time under then head coach Eduardo Coudet was limited.
Nevertheless, after Celta Vigo made an awful start to their 2022-23 LaLiga season, and with fleeting momentary appearances for de la Torre, Coudet was fired after the team achieved just three wins in their opening 12 matches. This presented the U.S. player with a fresh new challenge, albeit one that he would eventually relish with greater vigor.
Portuguese coach Carlos Carvalhal was hired on November 2, 2022, tasked with the challenge of turning an ailing season around. What’s more, he quickly discovered that de la Torre could form an important part of those plans, providing the American midfielder with increased opportunities to play his part in the improvements to come.
After scoring his first goals for the club in the Copa del Rey, de la Torre began to thrive under Carvalhal, whose confidence in the U.S. player was growing with every appearance on the field. Likewise, de la Torre has been keen to repay that faith, becoming a key contributor towards the notable upturn in Celta Vigo form of late.
Through the 11 LaLiga fixtures played in 2023, de la Torre has featured in all of them, while the positive upturn of winning results is also no mere coincidence. Heading into the international break in domestic games, Celta Vigo are unbeaten in their last 5 games with de la Torre in the starting eleven, which is a run they will seek to continue when he returns from U.S. duty.
Enjoying the taste of success with Celta Vigo in Galicia
There’s certainly nothing fishy about the recent form of de la Torre himself, which is based entirely on hard work and perseverance, accompanied by his own self-belief and constant desire to improve. This has landed the American midfielder increased opportunities to showcase his talents on the field with Celta Vigo.
Now enjoying the chance to prove he was a fine catch for the Spanish club, de la Torre is also relishing the taste of individual and collective success. Whenever they win games, Celta Vigo players, including de la Torre, celebrate by heading to local restaurants, treating themselves to some of the most exquisite seafood Galicia has to offer.
Seemingly a huge fan of the Galician cuisine, de la Torre is often pictured enjoying pulpo a feira, considered to be a gastronomic delicacy in this northwestern corner of Spain. The simple dish itself is boiled octopus that is seasoned with coarse sea salt, spiced up with a generous sprinkling of paprika, then bathed in the finest Iberian olive oil.
Following the most recent Celta Vigo victory away at Espanyol in LaLiga, de la Torre was unable to participate in what has now become a tradition for himself and teammates, given the immediate need to travel and link up with the U.S. squad in Orlando.
Of course, this prompted an amusing question: What’s the octopus like in Orlando? “There isn’t any pulpo in Orlando, I’m really sad!” he replied, referring to the favored culinary dish for Celta Vigo players. That notion will undoubtedly be challenged by Floridian seafood lovers, although local ingredients are what make the Galician pulpo dishes unique and special.
But now that Celta Vigo are in a rich vein of winning form, and if de la Torre can contribute towards helping the U.S. produce triumphant results, we’re pretty sure he will relish getting back to Galicia and celebrating at one of the local eateries. de la Torre is certainly making his mark there, both as an excellent soccer player and something of a celebrity gourmet.
Heath Chesters covers international soccer for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @HeathGCF