I value my place more after being on the outside: Torres

Madrid: Chelsea striker Fernando Torres is hopeful that he will continue to score goals for Spain as the national team heads into Euro 2012, and stated that he now places more value in a starting role.

The 28-year-old paved the way for La Roja`s 4-1 pre-Euro friendly victory against South Korea as he opened the scoring just 11 minutes into the game with a quality header to become the fourth-highest scorer in La Roja`s history. Torres` place in the national team squad had been in doubt as a result of a series of disappointing performances with the Blues, but he is looking to repay the trust of coach Vicente del Bosque with goals in Poland and Ukraine. "I had very good feelings," Torres told reporters after the game. "I am training well, with desire and excitement. "Sometimes, when you are out of the team, you give your place a lot more value when you return. I know that this is a reward and I am trying to enjoy every minute." The former Liverpool striker now sits one goal behind former Real Madrid hero Fernando Hierro, who has 29, in the list of top goalscorers, and he hopes to surpass that milestone by the end of the Euros. "What I want is that my goals help the national team. I hope that I can celebrate them in the final and when the Euros are over, I will only have Raul and David Villa in front of me on the list of top scorers. "I have gone through some tough moments, but now I feel fine." Goal.com