The Houston Dynamo signed Mexico international forward Erick “Cubo” Torres as a Designated Player on December 23. As part of the agreement, Torres will be loaned to his boyhood club, Chivas de Guadalajara, for the spring season in Liga MX. Torres will join the Dynamo full-time at the conclusion of the 2015 Torneo Clausura, which runs from January 9 – May 10. Here is some history on the man they call “Cubo”:
- Erick is often called “Cubo” due to the large, cubical shape of his head. He also has a reputation for good aerial ability and scoring goals using said large head.
- The 21-year-old is also known for his “robot” goal celebration, which he picked up off of EA Sports' FIFA video games.
- Torres scored 15 goals in 29 games in 2014, a Chivas USA club record for a single season that was previously held by Ante Razov.
- Cubo scored 22 goals in 44 appearances in one and a half seasons with Chivas USA, the most goals by a Mexican-born player in MLS history.
- The striker made his Mexico national team debut in September 2014 against Bolivia and scored his first goal for El Tri against Panama a month later, a game-winning goal in the 89th minute.
- A Guadalajara native, Torres made his Mexican Primera Division debut with Chivas in November 2010 at age 17.
- In his first Súper Clásico, between Mexican super clubs Chivas and Club América, Torres scored the opening goal in a 3-0 win on April 11, 2011.
- Torres scored six goals in 15 games in the 2011 Clausura season as Chivas reached the semifinals of the Liga MX playoffs.
- At 18, he was the youngest member of the squad at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup as Mexico finished in third place. Torres appeared in seven games and scored one goal.
- In November 2014, Torres scored five goals in four appearances—including two goals in the final versus Venezuela—as the Mexico U-21s won the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games.
- In 2013, Torres scored six goals in his first seven games in MLS.
- In 2014, Torres scored in each of the first four games of the season and had eight goals through ten games.
- Torres was a 2014 MLS-All Star and assisted on Bradley Wright-Phillips’ equalizing goal against Bayern Munich.
