For "Catalan" political aims: mural of "hero" Ferran Torres vandalised in Barcelona

Vandals have destroyed the mural that renowned urban artist "TV Boy" painted in tribute to Ferran Torres, the hero of the last World Cup final. Unidentified individuals covered the entire artwork in white paint.

The artist created the piece in Barcelona's working-class Gràcia neighbourhood, on Escorial Street near Joanic Square, to immortalise the historic moment when Torres handed Spain the world title. It didn't last long. A wave of anger from some protesting groups saw to that.

Torres appeared in the original mural wearing the Spain national team shirt, kissing the World Cup in a nod to his decisive goal against Argentina.

Sources at the scene told "Mundo Deportivo" that the mural was obscured on Wednesday morning, only hours after its completion. Writings opposing Spanish unity and calling for recognition of Catalan sporting teams appeared on what was left of it.

The vandalism was no accident. It came amid a storm of political and sporting controversy over the crowning of the "Matadors" as world champions. Ferran Torres scored the historic winner in the 106th minute of extra time at the New Jersey stadium, then sparked a wave of criticism during the celebration parade in Madrid.

Torres wore a red cap bearing the slogan "Make Spain Great Again", a direct nod to Donald Trump's election campaign slogan. That gave the celebration a political edge, and it drew mixed reactions across Catalan and Spanish circles.

Some brushed off the cap as a joke or a reference to the final's American venue. Others read political messages into it, aimed at the current Spanish government or aligned with certain movements.

The muralist took to his social media accounts to insist he would keep painting and would not be intimidated by the threats he had received. Art, he said, should stay clear of narrow political conflicts.

This is not the first incident of its kind. Days earlier, another mural of the two stars Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, painted by the "Axe of Colours" group, was vandalised in Barcelona.

The tension didn't stop at the boundaries of the pitches and walls. It spread into financial and property accusations aimed at Torres. Alberto Ibáñez, the MP for the "Sumar" coalition, published information claiming that Ferran Torres's company operates as an "investment fund that exploits distressed assets" and had bought dozens of homes in Valencia for the purpose of property speculation.

Sources close to the player, however, insist these claims don't reflect reality. They point out that the company's main assets are a commercial building next to the Mestalla stadium earmarked for administrative offices, not personal residence.

Official data and those close to Torres indicate that he currently owns only four homes: his residence in Barcelona, two properties in Valencia, and a holiday home, plus a plot of land he plans to build on in the future.

"Forbes" magazine had reported that the Spanish forward owns 20 properties spread between Valencia and Catalonia. The MP leaned on that figure in his campaign to demand legal reforms preventing companies owned by athletes and investors from snapping up residential properties for speculation, which ramped up the popular and political pressure on the Barcelona star.

The Ferran Torres controversy wasn't the only flashpoint. His team-mate Marc Cucurella, a recent Real Madrid signing, also drew Argentine fire over the celebrations when the defender picked "Malbec" by Argentine artists "Duki" and "Bizarrap" to mark the occasion on stage at the Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid.

Argentine outlets such as the newspaper "Tyc Sports" saw it as a deliberate dig. The song's lyrics, penned by Argentines, speak of superiority and celebrating the title, and choosing it amounted to open mockery of the national team who lost the final to Spain. The media sparring between the two sides only intensified.