NYCFC on loan: Valentín Castellanos scores four against Real Madrid

New York City FC supporters absolutely adore Valentín Castellanos. Not only was he a fantastic player on the pitch, but off the pitch as well. That was why everyone was happy for him when he made the jump overseas to further his career.

Currently, the Argentine is on loan with Girona FC, and has had a decent season while playing in his first season of La Liga. Prior to Tuesday, he had seven goals with the club, and starts in the majority of their matches.

NYCFC star Valentín Castellanos scored four goals against Madrid

However, Castellanos must have woke up on Tuesday, ready to prove why New York City FC sent him on loan to Spain. Now, his Girona played Real Madrid CF, one of the top teams in Spain. However, they recently drew against FC Barcelona, who is in first place in La Liga. Plus, they drew against Real Madrid in their last fixture against the La Liga side. So, it was likely the club felt they could beat Madrid.

And that, they did. Girona won, 4-2, and one player was responsible for all of the goals. That player was Castellanos. The forward started the game, and scored his first goal via a header in the 12th minute. That shocked Madrid, and he never looked back.

Just 12 minutes later, he grabbed his first-half brace. The striker received a great ball from his teammate, and then outran three Madrid players by himself to score his second.

He then grabbed the hat trick less than a minute into the second half. Once again, a teammate sent another great ball right to him, and Castellanos was able to put the ball into the left side of the net. In fact, he did so while falling to the ground.

Finally, the 24-year-old put the cherry on top of Girona's win. He scored his final goal of the evening in the 62nd minute, which was another header that went past the Madrid goalkeeper.

Castellanos proved why he was sent on loan to Girona, and also revealed to the world why NYCFC holds him up so highly. This should be a boost of confidence for the striker, and it would not be shocking if he adds a few more goals before the end of the season.

This match will help put Castellanos on the map once again. If anything, perhaps this will be the game that leads the Argentine to a permanent deal, either with Girona or another club. But no matter what happens, New York City FC, both the club and fans, cannot help but feel happiness and pride for the 2021 MLS Cup Champion.