ARLINGTON, Va. -- In a scene all too familiar to him, Leonardo Torres had a chance to sink the defining goal to keep Jynxzi FC alive in the second round of the Kings World Cup in Paris, mirroring a similar play in front of the Marymount University faithful a few years ago. 
 
Beating the goalkeeper and booting a perfect shot into the right side of the net, Torres advanced his team another day. In 2022, he was in a similar situation. With the game on the line in front of a packed crowd at Long Bridge Park, Marymount's home facility for soccer and lacrosse, he had a chance to score the penalty-kick equalizer during the waning minutes of the Atlantic East Championship match against Neumann University.
 
He beat that goalkeeper, too. 
 
Moments like these have defined Torres' career up to this point, as the recent Marymount graduate looks to continue hitting the turf at the professional level. He received the first taste of that lifestyle after making the Jynxzi FC squad that competed at the Kings World Cup in June.
 
The opportunity arose quickly. After hearing from his agent about a tryout, he felt it was time to begin making a name for himself.
 
"At first, I was a little skeptical because it wasn't something I was too familiar with," Torres said about the tryout. "Eventually my agent, parents and coaches told me it would be a great opportunity to grow and get some exposure in the professional world. I ended up going while not hoping for too much, but just to see how it was."
 
Torres went on to make the team's 12-man roster, and within days he was on a plane to Paris to begin preparation for the Kings World Cup. After arriving at the tournament site, he began his routine of early morning training, gym sessions and video reviews to prepare for the matches ahead. Jynxzi FC played as one of eight wild card entries in the tournament, which had 32 total teams competing.
 
"I really got a feel for what it would be like to play at this level," he said. "Because I was able to compete alongside many players who are current or former professional athletes, it showed me I could keep going and break into the professional world." 
 
The Kings League, founded by former Spanish middle-back Gerard Piqué, is a distinct format of football—featuring seven players per side—established in 2022. There are currently leagues in multiple countries, including Spain, Italy and Brazil, with the U.S. looking to debut a league of its own. 
 
Torres has played soccer all his life, most recently as a four-year Marymount student-athlete. As a Saint, he was a 2023 Atlantic East Conference Champion, a three-time Atlantic East Conference Player of the Year, a four-time All-Region recipient and the holder of five different program records. 
 
With all of that in hindsight, the decorated student-athlete knew the level of play would bump up a notch. While there were some early nerves, he began to settle into his role.   
 
"I saw a lot of people playing that I have seen before on social media and TV, and you get the sense of 'should I be here?'" Torres said. "But after the tryout and performing well, I realized this is just playing soccer like I've always been doing."
 
In his team's three matches, Torres had five shots—four of them on target. Most significant was his shootout goal in the tournament's second round, as Jynxzi FC ultimately took down Murash FC 3-2 in the shootout, with Torres' net as the decisive score. 
 
"I felt like everything just went silent," he said on the seconds leading up to his goal. "As soon as it went in, it was like a 1,000-pound weight was lifted off my shoulders. It was euphoria, really hard to describe."
 
The moment was seen across the globe. The Kings League is livestreamed on multiple popular streaming sites, including Twitch, YouTube and TikTok, giving Torres' family, friends and fans an accessible way to watch him celebrate. 
 
"It was really cool knowing people at home were watching me—not just here in the U.S., but I have family in El Salvador and people from other states and countries who were able to watch," he explained. "Everyone was reaching out to let me know they were proud of me. I took it in very deeply, and it made me sit and think about everything leading up to this moment. Not just the hard work I've put in, but all the support from the time I got to Marymount to playing in Kings League."
 
Marymount Men's Soccer Head Coach Nate Kalin, who coached Torres all four years during his time as a Saint, was one of the supporters watching and taking it all in.  
 
"As soon as he juked the keeper, I knew it was going in because I've seen it a million times," Kalin said. "Any coach wants to see their players get to the highest level and reach their goals and dreams. I couldn't be more proud of him. He's so deserving of this because for those four years at Marymount, he put this team on his shoulders."
 
Torres attributes his four years at Marymount as a driving force that gave him the confidence to perform well. Initially unsure after graduation if he would continue to play, this moment opened his eyes to the possibility of pursuing a professional soccer career.
 
"Collegiate soccer, especially in the U.S., is at a really high level," he reflected. "I competed with people at home who play at a really high level. It gave me the confidence I needed, and made me think in my head that this can be just like playing at Long Bridge or with my friends."
 
With this showing on the global stage behind him, Torres now looks ahead to new opportunities to continue what will hopefully be a long professional career.
 
"I just want to take the next step and understand that no opportunity is too small," Torres said. "It doesn't matter where you go or what you do—there will always be people watching you to see what you're about. You just never know what can come out of things unless you try."