Raúl González Blanco
Raúl González Blanco (born June 27, 1977), usually referred to simply as Raúl, is a Spanish football forward. He has been playing for Real Madrid at senior level since 1994, where he is the team captain.
He has played more than 100 games for the Spanish national team, and is its all-time leading goal scorer with 44 goals. He represented Spain in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004 and 2006 FIFA World Cup tournaments. He is the UEFA Champions League all-time leading scorer with 58 goals.
Raúl is also currently 8th highest goalscorer in the history of Spain's top flight, with 193 goals in 458 games. All of these goals were for Real Madrid, making Raúl the club's 2nd highest goalscorer of all time. He is also called 'The Angel Of Madrid' by fans and pundits etc.
When playing, he wears jersey number 7 for both club and country (until Euro 2000 he wore 10 for Spain). He has been wearing the number 7 shirt for Real Madrid since he was 19.
His current contract with Real Madrid runs until 2012 (extended to 2 more years).
Raúl grew up in the modest San Cristóbal de los Ángeles neighbourhood of Madrid. After winning his spurs as a member of provincial amateur team San Cristóbal de los Ángeles, his father signed him up for Atlético Madrid at the age of 13. Raúl rose through the ranks, winning the national title with the Under-15 youth team (cadete), and seemed destined to join the professional side when Atlético president Jesús Gil dissolved the club's entire youth scheme in an effort to save money. Real Madrid scouts quickly signed Raúl and he started the 1992-93 season with the Cadete A.
Raúl again won another Cadete title. In 1993-94, he began the season with the Juvenil B team, moved on to Juvenil A, and was promoted to the Under-19 División de Honor team. He began the 1994-95 season in Madrid's "C" team, and scored 13 goals in the seven games. In October 1994, head coach Jorge Valdano picked the gifted teenager in his first team.
At just 17 years and four months, Raúl became the youngest player ever to wear a Real Madrid shirt. In doing so, he nudged aside 1991 Pichichi Trophy winner Emilio Butragueño, and was soon well on the way to becoming Spain's new sensation. He scored nine times in his first season from 28 appearances, including one in his second game against Atlético, and won the Spanish La Liga championship.
Raúl made his national team debut against the Czech Republic in October 1996. Raúl's performances for Spain have since mirrored the nation's fortunes, Spain being dubbed the "greatest underachievers" in international football.
Raúl was a key player in Real Madrid's six big titles from 1998 to 2003. With Real, he won three European UEFA Champions League trophies in 1998, 2000 and 2002, scoring both goals in the 2000 and 2002 Champions League finals. On the domestic scene, he won five Spanish La Liga championships in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007. After Fernando Hierro retired from the Spanish national team in 2002, Raúl became the captain for Spain.
Ever since 2004, he has been under heavy criticism by the media and part of the supporters because of his poor performances in the last four years, in which Real Madrid struggled to win a European competition, with no success in either of them. These struggles have seen Raúl relegated at times to the substitutes bench by both club and country, leaving questions as to how much he might have in the tank. It is widely rumoured that the primary reason why Raúl starts in the Real Madrid line-up is because he has tremendous influence in Madrid.
During the 2006/7 season, Raul has managed to regain some of the former displays of the past, and has created an impressive partnership with Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Because of his effort and passion for Real Madrid, he has shown his ability to play in a number of different positions including left/right winger.
On 28 September 2005 against Greek power Olympiakos, in his 97th UEFA Champions League match, Raul became the first player in the history of the tournament to score 50 goals, passing Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano. He is currently the top goal scorer in the history of the competition with 58 goals. His most recent UEFA Champions League goal came against Olympiakos 24 October 2007 at the Bernabeu.
When he led out the Spanish team against San Marino in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier on 12 October 2005, he surpassed his predecessor as Spain captain, Fernando Hierro, as the most-capped outfield player (i.e., not a goalkeeper) in Spanish history.
On June 19, with a goal against Tunisia, Raúl became the 18th player to score in 3 different editions of the FIFA World Cup. He has scored in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
As of recently, Raul has been left out of the Spanish National Team squad on numerous occasions by coach Luis Aragones. Calls from former teammates, Fernando Hierro, current teammates, almost the entire Real Madrid squad, and many members of the Spanish National Team have been growing rapidly in recent times.
The most recent addition to the list is Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster. Rauls recent form has been incredible, and many are puzzled as to why he has not earned a national team call up.
Raúl has a distinctive celebration, with each goal acclaimed by a kiss of his wedding ring, an acknowledgment to his wife Mamen Sanz.
They have four sons: Jorge (February 25, 2000), named after Jorge Valdano, Hugo (November 20, 2002), named after Raúl's childhood hero Hugo Sánchez and twins Héctor and Mateo (November 17, 2005).
He likes reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte, and listening to all sorts of Spanish music. He also enjoys hunting and watching bullfighting.
Honors
Club
Spanish La Liga: (5) : 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007
Spanish Super Cup: (3) : 1997, 2001 and 2003
UEFA Champions League: (3) : 1998, 2000 and 2002
European Super Cup: (1) : 2002
Intercontinental Cup: (2) : 1998 and 2002
Individual
Pichichi Trophy: : 1999 and 2001
Copa de Su Majestad el Rey Top Scorer: 2003-2004
Spanish Player of the Year: : 1996-97 season
UEFA Club Football Best Forward Award: : 2000, 2001 and 2002
Intercontinental Cup Man of the Match: 1998
IFFHS World Goalgetter: 1999
Spanish outstanding sportsman: 2000
UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 1999-2000, 2000-2001
Royal Order's gold medal for Sports Merit: 2006
Bronze Boot of Europe: 1999, 2001
FIFA World Player of the Year, Bronze award: 2001
European Footballer of the Year, Silver award: 2001
Achievements
Scored the 800th goal in Spain's national team history, March 27, 1999 vs Austria
Scored the 900th goal in Spain's national team history, September 7, 2002 vs Greece
Spanish national team all-time leading scorer
Most appearances for an outfield player in the Spanish national team
Top active scorer in La Liga
Top UEFA Champions League appearances
UEFA Champions League all-time leading scorer with 58 goals
2 goals in 3 UEFA Champions League Finals
Highest goal scorer against Barcelona in the history of Real Madrid (10 goals)
— Has never been booked in 30 months and has never been sent off at professional level
8º top scorer of all times of the Spanish league (193): 1 Zarra 251, 2 Hugo Sánchez 234, 3 Di Stéfano 227, 4 César 225, 5 Quini 219, 6 Pahíño 210, 7 Mundo 195, 8 Raúl 193
2º top scorer of all times in the Spanish League of Real Madrid: 1 Di Stéfano 216, 2 Raúl 193
He has played more than 100 games for the Spanish national team, and is its all-time leading goal scorer with 44 goals. He represented Spain in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004 and 2006 FIFA World Cup tournaments. He is the UEFA Champions League all-time leading scorer with 58 goals.
Raúl is also currently 8th highest goalscorer in the history of Spain's top flight, with 193 goals in 458 games. All of these goals were for Real Madrid, making Raúl the club's 2nd highest goalscorer of all time. He is also called 'The Angel Of Madrid' by fans and pundits etc.
When playing, he wears jersey number 7 for both club and country (until Euro 2000 he wore 10 for Spain). He has been wearing the number 7 shirt for Real Madrid since he was 19.
His current contract with Real Madrid runs until 2012 (extended to 2 more years).
Raúl grew up in the modest San Cristóbal de los Ángeles neighbourhood of Madrid. After winning his spurs as a member of provincial amateur team San Cristóbal de los Ángeles, his father signed him up for Atlético Madrid at the age of 13. Raúl rose through the ranks, winning the national title with the Under-15 youth team (cadete), and seemed destined to join the professional side when Atlético president Jesús Gil dissolved the club's entire youth scheme in an effort to save money. Real Madrid scouts quickly signed Raúl and he started the 1992-93 season with the Cadete A.
Raúl again won another Cadete title. In 1993-94, he began the season with the Juvenil B team, moved on to Juvenil A, and was promoted to the Under-19 División de Honor team. He began the 1994-95 season in Madrid's "C" team, and scored 13 goals in the seven games. In October 1994, head coach Jorge Valdano picked the gifted teenager in his first team.
At just 17 years and four months, Raúl became the youngest player ever to wear a Real Madrid shirt. In doing so, he nudged aside 1991 Pichichi Trophy winner Emilio Butragueño, and was soon well on the way to becoming Spain's new sensation. He scored nine times in his first season from 28 appearances, including one in his second game against Atlético, and won the Spanish La Liga championship.
Raúl made his national team debut against the Czech Republic in October 1996. Raúl's performances for Spain have since mirrored the nation's fortunes, Spain being dubbed the "greatest underachievers" in international football.
Raúl was a key player in Real Madrid's six big titles from 1998 to 2003. With Real, he won three European UEFA Champions League trophies in 1998, 2000 and 2002, scoring both goals in the 2000 and 2002 Champions League finals. On the domestic scene, he won five Spanish La Liga championships in 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007. After Fernando Hierro retired from the Spanish national team in 2002, Raúl became the captain for Spain.
Ever since 2004, he has been under heavy criticism by the media and part of the supporters because of his poor performances in the last four years, in which Real Madrid struggled to win a European competition, with no success in either of them. These struggles have seen Raúl relegated at times to the substitutes bench by both club and country, leaving questions as to how much he might have in the tank. It is widely rumoured that the primary reason why Raúl starts in the Real Madrid line-up is because he has tremendous influence in Madrid.
During the 2006/7 season, Raul has managed to regain some of the former displays of the past, and has created an impressive partnership with Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Because of his effort and passion for Real Madrid, he has shown his ability to play in a number of different positions including left/right winger.
On 28 September 2005 against Greek power Olympiakos, in his 97th UEFA Champions League match, Raul became the first player in the history of the tournament to score 50 goals, passing Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano. He is currently the top goal scorer in the history of the competition with 58 goals. His most recent UEFA Champions League goal came against Olympiakos 24 October 2007 at the Bernabeu.
When he led out the Spanish team against San Marino in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier on 12 October 2005, he surpassed his predecessor as Spain captain, Fernando Hierro, as the most-capped outfield player (i.e., not a goalkeeper) in Spanish history.
On June 19, with a goal against Tunisia, Raúl became the 18th player to score in 3 different editions of the FIFA World Cup. He has scored in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
As of recently, Raul has been left out of the Spanish National Team squad on numerous occasions by coach Luis Aragones. Calls from former teammates, Fernando Hierro, current teammates, almost the entire Real Madrid squad, and many members of the Spanish National Team have been growing rapidly in recent times.
The most recent addition to the list is Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster. Rauls recent form has been incredible, and many are puzzled as to why he has not earned a national team call up.
Raúl has a distinctive celebration, with each goal acclaimed by a kiss of his wedding ring, an acknowledgment to his wife Mamen Sanz.
They have four sons: Jorge (February 25, 2000), named after Jorge Valdano, Hugo (November 20, 2002), named after Raúl's childhood hero Hugo Sánchez and twins Héctor and Mateo (November 17, 2005).
He likes reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte, and listening to all sorts of Spanish music. He also enjoys hunting and watching bullfighting.
Honors
Club
Spanish La Liga: (5) : 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007
Spanish Super Cup: (3) : 1997, 2001 and 2003
UEFA Champions League: (3) : 1998, 2000 and 2002
European Super Cup: (1) : 2002
Intercontinental Cup: (2) : 1998 and 2002
Individual
Pichichi Trophy: : 1999 and 2001
Copa de Su Majestad el Rey Top Scorer: 2003-2004
Spanish Player of the Year: : 1996-97 season
UEFA Club Football Best Forward Award: : 2000, 2001 and 2002
Intercontinental Cup Man of the Match: 1998
IFFHS World Goalgetter: 1999
Spanish outstanding sportsman: 2000
UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 1999-2000, 2000-2001
Royal Order's gold medal for Sports Merit: 2006
Bronze Boot of Europe: 1999, 2001
FIFA World Player of the Year, Bronze award: 2001
European Footballer of the Year, Silver award: 2001
Achievements
Scored the 800th goal in Spain's national team history, March 27, 1999 vs Austria
Scored the 900th goal in Spain's national team history, September 7, 2002 vs Greece
Spanish national team all-time leading scorer
Most appearances for an outfield player in the Spanish national team
Top active scorer in La Liga
Top UEFA Champions League appearances
UEFA Champions League all-time leading scorer with 58 goals
2 goals in 3 UEFA Champions League Finals
Highest goal scorer against Barcelona in the history of Real Madrid (10 goals)
— Has never been booked in 30 months and has never been sent off at professional level
8º top scorer of all times of the Spanish league (193): 1 Zarra 251, 2 Hugo Sánchez 234, 3 Di Stéfano 227, 4 César 225, 5 Quini 219, 6 Pahíño 210, 7 Mundo 195, 8 Raúl 193
2º top scorer of all times in the Spanish League of Real Madrid: 1 Di Stéfano 216, 2 Raúl 193
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