Quick Facts
Biography
Paulo Manuel Banha Torres (born 25 November 1971) is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a left back, and is the manager of Angolan club G.D. Sagrada Esperança.
Playing career
Torres was born in Évora, Alentejo Region. During his career, which was spent entirely in his country and Spain, the free kick specialist played for Sporting CP (this included a very brief loan at Lisbon neighbours Atlético Clube de Portugal), S.C. Campomaiorense, UD Salamanca – spending one season each in the country's two major divisions – Rayo Vallecano, G.D. Chaves, CD Leganés, S.C.U. Torreense, F.C. Penafiel and Imortal DC, retiring at 31.
Torres was part of the Portuguese national team, dubbed The Golden Generation, that won the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship on home soil, scoring two goals through long-distance free kicks and three in total during the tournament. He also won two full caps, both in the following year.
Coaching career
Torres took up coaching immediately after retiring as a player, managing exclusively in the lower leagues in Portugal. In January 2014, he was appointed as head coach of the Guinea-Bissau national team.
In September 2015, Torres received a four-match ban from the Confederation of African Football for abusing a referee during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Zambia three months earlier. He was sacked in March of the following year, after a 1–3 loss to Liberia.
Torres worked in the Angolan Girabola in the following years, successively being in charge of G.D. Interclube, Kabuscorp SCP and G.D. Sagrada Esperança.
Honours
Club
Sporting
- Taça de Portugal: 1994–95
International
Portugal
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1991