Nelson Haedo Valdez

The German Bombardier

Nelson Haedo (R) from Paraguay and teammates celebrate their team's qualification for the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 in Maracaibo 08 October 2005, after their victory over Venezuela 1-0. AFP PHOTO/JAIME RAZURI

On October 8, 2005 at the Jose Pachencho Romero de Maracaibo stadium, Paraguay took on Venezuela where it is always tough to win and after an hour's play had still failed to break down the home defence.

Then in the 65th minute, Paraguay launched a counter-attack down the right crossed the ball into the middle where Nelson Valdez dummied, shot powerfully and hit the back of the net. The Werder Bremen marksman had just propelled his country into the World Cup in Germany.

The young player who was yet to celebrate his 22nd birthday is not about to quickly forget his first international goal and is already a hero in his homeland despite having yet to play a top level club match in Paraguay.

The son of a farmer, born in San Joaquin, a small urban region situated some 200km fromt the capital of Asuncion, he was introduced at the age of 18 in 2001 to the president of Bremen who was visiting Paraguay.

At the time, the young Nelson Haedo Valdez lived beneath the stands of the stadium belonging to Atletico Tembetary, a modest second division club. "When it rained, I couldn't sleep," he remembered.

Future star

Already in September 2005, he had won the hearts of the Asuncion public who had given him a rousing ovation at the end of a match against Argentina.

"The German Bombardier" as he has been nicknamed had given the Argentines a mighty fright with a rasping shot that smashed into the post on 82 minutes.

Paraguayan Nelson Haedo vies for the ball with Uruguayan Dario Rodriguez, 18 July 2004, during their Copa America 2004 quarterfinal match at Jorge Basadre Stadium in Tacna, Peru. AFP PHOTO/Orlando KISSNER

In the end it didn't matter as Paraguay went on to beat Argentina for the first time in World Cup qualifying, earning Valdez the accolade of man of the match.

When he won his first cap at the 2004 Copa America in Peru, he was already heralded as the future star of Paraguay and the successor to his mentor and idol Roque Santa Cruz, also playing in Germany at Bayern Munich.

He was just coming off a dream season with Bremen in which they won the Bundesliga and Cup double although he was somewhat of a luxury substitute behind Miroslav Klose and Ivan Klasnic.

Photograph dated 23 August 2003 showing Bremen forward Nelson Haedo Valdez (Paraguay) celebrating his first goal of the season against FC Schalke in Bremen. The young Paraguayan marked his entry into the Bundesliga with a bang, scoring after 3 minutes on the field. AFP PHOTO BONGARTS/ANDREAS RENTZ GERMANY OUT

Lively, decisive, an opportunist with great heading skills, Nelson Valdez is renowned in Germany for his important strikes.

Bremen supporters have not forgotten his exploits in a Champions League match in December 2004 when he came off the bench in the 81st minute at Valencia to fire home two goals and send his side into the knockout phase.

At the World Cup, he will feel right at home and the supporters of the Albirrojos will be dreaming that alongwith Santa Cruz, the two "panzers" in attack can light up the tournament.