Raúl González Blanco - A Detailed Overview
Early Life
Raúl González Blanco, known simply as Raúl, was born on June 27, 1977, in Madrid, Spain. He started playing football at a very young age, joining the youth ranks of his local club, San Cristobal, when he was just 13 years old. His talent caught the eyes of top Spanish clubs, and in 1987, he moved to Atletico Madrid's youth system. However, financial difficulties led to the dissolution of Atletico's youth team and Raúl made the switch to Real Madrid in 1992.
Real Madrid
At Real Madrid, Raúl emerged as one of Spain's most promising young footballers. His performances with the youth teams led to him making his professional debut in the 1994-95 season. He scored nine goals in his debut season, and in the following season, he became the first player to score 25 goals in a season since Hugo Sanchez. His prolific goalscoring form continued over the next few seasons, and he was a crucial part of the Real Madrid team that won three Champions League titles and two La Liga titles between 1998 and 2002. Raúl was the club's all-time top scorer until his record was broken by Cristiano Ronaldo. He left Real Madrid in 2010 after scoring 323 goals in 741 appearances.
Schalke 04
After leaving Real Madrid, Raúl joined German club Schalke 04. Despite initially struggling to adapt to the Bundesliga, he quickly became a fan favorite at Schalke due to his performances and charisma. In his two seasons at the club, he scored 40 goals in 98 appearances, helping Schalke to win the DFB-Pokal and reach the semifinals of the Champions League.
Al Sadd and New York Cosmos
In 2012, Raúl left Europe to join Qatari side Al Sadd. He spent two successful seasons at the club, helping them win the Qatar Stars League and the Emir of Qatar Cup. In 2014, he moved to the United States to play for New York Cosmos, winning the NASL Championship in his first season. He retired from professional football at the end of the 2015 season.
International Career
Raúl made his debut for the Spanish national team in 1996 and quickly became a key player for his country. He played in three World Cups and two European Championships, scoring 44 goals in 102 appearances. He was part of the Spanish team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, which was Spain's best performance in the tournament until they won it in 2010. Despite his incredible success at club level, Raúl never won a major international tournament with Spain.
Coaching Career
After retiring from professional football, Raúl turned to coaching. He returned to Real Madrid in 2018 to coach their youth team, and in 2019 he was promoted to coach Real Madrid Castilla, the club's reserve team. His work with the youth players has been highly praised, and he is seen as a potential future first team coach for the club.
Legacy and Awards
Raúl is widely considered one of the greatest Spanish footballers of all time and one of the best strikers of his generation. He won numerous individual awards during his career, including the UEFA Forward of the Year award in 2000 and 2001, and the FIFA World Player of the Year Bronze Award in 2001. He was also named in the UEFA Team of the Year three times, and in 2004 he was included in FIFA's list of the 125 greatest living players. His influence on the game extends beyond his playing career, as he has played a pivotal role in developing new talents during his coaching career.
