The Story of Austin FC’s Ervin Torres: He Left Home at 12 to Chase His Soccer Dream, Now He’s Living It.

Ervin Torres was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, a border town with a strong Latino culture where soccer is deeply embedded in family life. His father, a former basketball player, introduced him to soccer, and Torres grew up playing barefoot in the streets despite getting in trouble. At age 12, Torres made the difficult decision to leave Laredo and move to Austin to join Austin FC's academy, a life-changing sacrifice supported by his father who believed Torres needed to leave his hometown to achieve his dreams. The move was emotionally challenging—Torres cried during the drive to Austin and spent his first night in a hotel with his mother. He was placed with host families, the first of whom had connections to professional soccer through a brother who played for Dynamo, which helped Torres mature and understand the professional pathway. Torres struggled initially in the academy around his second year and was warned about potential being cut if he didn't improve. This pivotal moment changed his mentality—he stopped dwelling on missing his family and fully committed to his development in Austin. Through Austin FC's academy system (all three phases from homegrown to reserve team to first team), Torres developed into a prospect, with coaches consistently trusting him and providing opportunities. In 2022, at ages 14-15, Torres received attention from both the U.S. and Mexico youth national teams, creating a dual-national situation. Rather than choosing immediately, Torres took the pragmatic approach of letting his play speak for itself, believing the right choice would become clear over time. He emphasized that feeling love for two countries isn't contradictory and both can be equally valid. Growing up, Torres was an América fan due to his father's influence, and in July 2026, he played against his childhood club in the Leagues Cup—a dream realized. He called his father immediately upon finding out he was starting and scored his first MLS goal on August 16th against FC Dallas with his left foot at age 18, becoming the second-youngest scorer in club history. The goal came during a substitute appearance where he provided two assists in a victory, making him the fourth teenager in MLS history with multiple assists off the bench. Torres credits Coach Davey (Davey Arnaud) with bringing mentality and professionalism to Austin FC, transforming the team from a struggling start to contention, with the club moving from many points out of playoff position to just 2-3 points away. Torres sees himself as an eight or ten (midfielder positions) long-term and aspires to eventually play in Europe, specifically mentioning the Premier League and La Liga as leagues he watches and admires. He noted that seeing peers like Kevin Sullivan sign with Manchester City at young ages motivates him to pursue his own European dream. When asked about his future, Torres indicated he's committed to Austin FC through 2028 but views European football as a natural next step. He advised young players considering similar sacrifices to leave their hometowns for soccer development to go for it, emphasizing that while sacrifices are real, they pay off eventually. The interview concludes with rapid-fire questions where Torres demonstrates his character—he prefers Laredo tacos, cites Ryan Rodriguez as the best player he's shared the field with, and hasn't even checked his FIFA rating, suggesting humility and focus on performance over external validation.