Eric Garcia hails Ferran Torres’ World Cup final winner as result of “mental work” and sets sights on Champions League with Barcelona

Eric Garcia believes Ferran Torres’ decisive goal in the World Cup final was the product of rigorous psychological preparation rather than luck, and says his own next target is to win the Champions League with Barcelona.

The 25-year-old defender, one of eight Barcelona players to lift the World Cup, reflected on his experience with the national team and his ambitions at club level during an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Cope while on holiday.

Garcia said both he and Torres had invested heavily in the mental side of the game and argued that the forward’s winner on the biggest stage was the logical outcome of that work.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, I can put myself and Ferran in this bracket, because we are used to everything,” Garcia said. “Our job is to play football and I think that is a privilege. I have always said that things can go better or worse, but you always have to be present and have the right attitude. In the end, it’s not a coincidence that he is the one who scored the goal that gave us the World Cup in this case.”

Psychological work behind success

Asked specifically about the psychologist who works with both him and Torres, Garcia did not hesitate to underline how important that support has been in reaching the top of the game and ultimately becoming world champions.

He stressed that staying mentally strong and prepared was essential throughout the tournament, and that this work off the pitch directly influenced what happened in the final.

Garcia also spoke of being moved by the scale of the support the players received during the celebrations, admitting the affection from fans had left a strong impression on the squad.

First World Cup minutes in the final

The Barcelona centre-back’s first appearance at a World Cup came in the final itself, a situation he said he had anticipated and prepared for throughout the month-long tournament.

“I was ready all month in case the opportunity came at any moment and, look, in the end it came in the final,” he explained. “And we managed to win it, which was the objective for everyone. We were all there to contribute, whether it was our turn to play or not. I always told the coach that I was ready for anything he asked of me.”

Garcia underlined that the entire squad shared the same mindset, with those on the bench as engaged as the players starting matches, and that this collective approach was key to securing the title.

When belief in the World Cup grew

The defender admitted there was a specific stage in the final when he and his team-mates began to feel the World Cup was within reach.

He pinpointed a turning point: “That came after Enzo’s sending-off, and at the moment when they took Julian off and brought on an extra defender.”

From that point, Garcia said, the players on his side sensed that the match dynamic had shifted decisively in their favour.

Barcelona ambitions and return date

Having added the World Cup to an already impressive honours list, Garcia is clear about the next major milestone he wants to achieve in his career: winning the Champions League with Barcelona.

“Yes, yes,” he said when asked if lifting Europe’s premier club trophy with Barca was now his main goal. “Obviously, I can’t complain about the honours I have so far. Every player wants to win and to lift trophies, and that’s why we are here.”

The Barcelona defender confirmed he will cut short his post-World Cup break to rejoin club training on 12 August, as he looks to carry his international success into the new season at the Camp Nou.