Ferran Torres is the man of the moment. His historic goal against Argentina—which made the Spanish national team world champions for the second time—has turned him into a national icon for the entire country, but even more so for the city of Valencia. That’s why the Oceanogràfic has decided to pay him the most unusual tribute to date: they’ve named a gray shark after him.
The Valencian forward has always been closely tied to the work of the Oceanogràfic Foundation and served as the organization’s ambassador in 2024 and 2025. In this way, the aquarium and center for species conservation and rehabilitation aims to honor the FC Barcelona player—not for his athletic achievements, but for his commitment to marine conservation and for helping to raise awareness and bring attention to this issue.
From now on, the nickname “Shark”—by which Ferran is known on the soccer field—will make more sense than ever. The shark chosen is a two-meter-long male gray shark ( Carcharhinus plumbeus) located in the aquarium’s iconic Oceans Tunnel.
This species is one of the most endangered on the planet and, at the same time, one of the most essential for preserving the balance within the oceans. Furthermore, as a result of overfishing and the fact that its reproductive cycle occurs very sporadically, its recovery is particularly challenging.
