Now he is closing in on Spain's most prolific goalscorers in the national team's history - his captain Fernando Hierro (on 27 goals) and Emilio 'The Vulture' Butragueno on 26.
But there was nothing Valdez could do to prevent the prolific Villa from equalling Emilio Butragueno's Spanish record of five goals at a World Cup finals, which was set in 1986.