Raúl González

Raúl
Raul Gonzalez 10mar2007.jpg
Personal information
Full name Raúl González Blanco
Date of birth June 27, 1971 (1971-06-27) (age 38)
Place of birth    Madrid, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Second striker
Club information
Current club Real Madrid
Number 7
Youth clubs
1988–1989
1990–1992
1992–1994		 San Cristóbal de Los Ángeles
Atlético Madrid
Real Madrid
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1994– Real Madrid 494 (210)   
National team2
1996-2006 Spain 102 0(44)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of November 2, 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of September 9, 2006 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)
This is a Spanish name; the first family name is González and the second is Blanco.

Raúl González Blanco (born June 27, 1977 in Madrid), simply known as Raúl, is a Spanish football striker who plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid. He is a three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and is the second all-time leading scorer in official UEFA competitions after Filippo Inzaghi with 64 goals.

Contents

Club career

Raul has spent his entire club career with Real Madrid and is one of only three homegrown players in the current first team (Iker Casillas and Guti being the others). He began the 1994-95 season in Madrid's C-team, scoring thirteen goals in seven games. He became the youngest player (seventeen years and four months) ever to play for the senior side, scoring in his second senior game against Atletico Madrid and nine times in 28 appearances to help Real Madrid win the 1994-95 league championship in his first season. He won further La Liga titles in 1996-97 (scoring 21 goals), in 2000-01 (25 goals), 2002-03 (16 goals), 2006-07 (7 goals), and 2007-08 (18 goals). He was twice La Liga's top scorer ('Pichichi'), with tallies of 24 and 25 goals in the 1998-99 and 2000-01 seasons.

He took over the captaincy of Real Madrid when Fernando Hierro departed in 2003, and has since shown himself to be a natural and respected leader. He was described by his former national team coach, Luis Aragones, as a 'blood donor' who gives more than most player to the team.

He became the first player to score fifty Champions League goals when he netted in a 2-1 group stage win over Olympiakos on September 28, 2005[1], and is the all-time leader in CL appearances with 116.[2]

Raúl endured a difficult couple of years during Real Madrid's disastrous 'Galactico' era, in which he played in a variety of roles and increasingly moved away from his natural habitat, the penalty area. This had the effect of drastically reducing his seasonal goal tallies, and led to speculation that Raúl was no longer the player he once was. With the arrival of no-nonsense coach, Fabio Capello, however, Raúl was reborn in 2007, and scored some decisive goals in the run-in which led to Madrid winning a surprise La Liga title in 2006-07. Continuing his rich vein of form, Raúl scored eighteen goals in the 2007-08 La Liga season, along with five Champions League goals, and was very unlucky not to be included in the Spanish national team squad for its victorious Euro 2008 campaign. He was among the top 50 players shortlisted for the 2007 Ballon D'or. He is currently the highest active scorer in the Spanish league with 210 goals, and holds the distinction of having never received a red card throughout his 14 years at the professional level.[3] On 11 November 2008, Raul scored his 300th goal for Real Madrid with a hat-trick against Real Union, with Real winning the game 4-3 but being eliminated on away goals after drawing 6-6 on aggregate.[4]

International career

Raúl has a team-record 44 goals in 102 caps for Spain. He earned his first cap against the Czech Republic in October 1996, and took over the team captaincy following the retirement of Fernando Hierro in 2002. He participated in three World Cups from 1998 to 2006, along with Euro 2000 and Euro 2004, scoring at least one goal in each competition.

On March 27, 1999, Raúl scored the 800th goal in national team history during Spain's 9-0 rout of Austria.[5] He then scored the 900th goal three and a half years later in a Euro 2004 qualifier on September 7, 2002 against Greece, which Spain won 2-0.[6]

Raúl became the eighteenth player ever to score in three different World Cup finals after netting in a 3-1 group stage win over Tunisia on June 19, 2006.

Raúl was not selected for UEFA Euro 2008, having been displaced in the team by Fernando Torres and David Villa

Personal life

Raúl's goal celebration consists of kissing his wedding ring as an acknowledgment to his wife, Spanish model Mamen Sanz. They have four sons: Jorge, named after Jorge Valdano; Hugo, named after Raúl's childhood hero Hugo Sánchez; and twins Héctor and Mateo, named after German footballer Lothar Matthäus. He enjoys reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte, and listening to Spanish music, as well as hunting and watching bullfighting.

Statistics

Club goals

Last update: Nov 23, 2008.

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
1990-91 Atlético Madrid (Infantil)
1991-92 Atlético Madrid (Cadete B)
1992-93 Read Madrid (Cadete A)
1993-94 Real Madrid (Juvenil)
1994-95 Real Madrid C Tercera División 7 16 - - - - 7 16
1994-95 Real Madrid B Segunda División B 1 0 - - - - 1 0
1994-95 Real Madrid Primera División 28 9 2 1 - 30 10
1995-96 40 19 2 1 8 6 50 26
1996-97 42 21 5 1 - 47 22
1997-98 35 10 1 0 11 2 47 12
1998-99 37 25 2 0 8 3 47 28
1999-00 34 17 4 0 15 10 53 27
2000-01 36 24 0 0 12 7 48 31
2001-02 35 14 6 6 12 6 53 26
2002-03 31 16 2 0 12 9 45 25
2003-04 35 11 6 6 9 2 50 19
2004-05 32 9 1 0 10 4 43 13
2005-06 26 5 1 0 6 2 33 7
2006-07 35 7 1 0 7 5 43 12
2007-08 37 18 1 0 8 5 46 23
2008-09 12 5 3 3 4 1 19 9
Total Spain 495 210 37 18 122 62 654 301
Career Total 495 210 37 18 122 62 654 301

International goals

Raúl González Blanco: International goals[7]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 1996-12-14 Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Flag of SFR Yugoslavia.svg Yugoslavia 2-0 2-0 1998 World Cup qualificaion
2 1998-03-25 Estadio Balaídos, Vigo, Spain Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden 3-0 4-0 Friendly
3 1998-06-13 Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, France Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria 2-1 2-3 1998 FIFA World Cup
4 1998-09-05 Tsirion Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus 2-1 3-2 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
5 1998-11-18 Stadio Arechi, Salerno, Italy Flag of Italy.svg Italy 2-2 2-2 Friendly
6 1999-03-27 Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Flag of Austria.svg Austria 1-0 9-0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
7 1999-03-27 Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Flag of Austria.svg Austria 2-0 9-0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
8 1999-03-27 Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Flag of Austria.svg Austria 5-0 9-0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
9 1999-03-27 Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Flag of Austria.svg Austria 8-0 9-0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
10 1999-03-31 Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino 0-2 0-6 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
11 1999-03-31 Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino 0-4 0-6 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
12 1999-03-31 Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino 0-5 0-6 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
13 1999-06-05 Estadio El Madrigal, Villarreal, Spain Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino 5-0 9-0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
14 1999-09-04 Ernst Happel Stadion, Wien, Austria Flag of Austria.svg Austria 0-1 1-3 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
15 1999-10-10 Estadio Carlos Belmonte, Albacete, Spain Flag of Israel.svg Israel 3-0 3-0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
16 2000-01-26 Estadio Cartagonova, Cartagena, Spain Flag of Poland.svg Poland 1-0 3-0 Friendly match
17 2000-06-18 Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia 1-0 2-1 UEFA Euro 2000
18 2000-08-16 Niedersachsenstadion, Hannover, Germany Flag of Germany.svg Germany 4-1 4-1 Friendly match
19 2001-03-24 Estadio José Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain Flag of Liechtenstein.svg Liechtenstein 4-1 5-0 2002 World Cup Qualifier
20 2001-06-02 Estadio Carlos Tartiere, Oviedo, Spain Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 4-1 2002 World Cup Qualifier
21 2001-06-06 Ramat Gan Stadium, Tel-Aviv, Israel Flag of Israel.svg Israel 1-1 1-1 2002 World Cup Qualifier
22 2001-09-05 Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Flag of Liechtenstein.svg Liechtenstein 0-1 0-2 2002 World Cup Qualifier
23 2001-11-14 Estadio Nuevo Colombino, Huelva, Spain Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico 1-0 1-0 Friendly match
24 2002-04-17 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland Ulster banner.svg Northern Ireland 0-1 0-5 Friendly match
25 2002-04-17 Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland Ulster banner.svg Northern Ireland 0-3 0-5 Friendly match
26 2002-06-02 Gwangju Stadium, Gwangju, South Korean Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia 1-0 3-1 2002 FIFA World Cup
27 2002-06-12 Daejeon Stadium, Daejeon, South Korean Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa 1-0 3-2 2002 FIFA World Cup
28 2002-06-12 Daejeon Stadium, Daejeon, South Korean Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa 3-2 3-2 2002 FIFA World Cup
29 2002-09-07 Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, Athens, Greece Flag of Greece.svg Greece 0-1 0-2 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
30 2003-02-12 ONO Estadi, Palma de Mallorca, Spain Flag of Germany.svg Germany 1-0 3-1 Friendly match
31 2003-02-12 ONO Estadi, Palma de Mallorca, Spain Flag of Germany.svg Germany 2-1 3-1 Friendly match
32 2003-03-29 Olympic Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine 1-1 2-2 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
33 2003-09-10 Estadio Martinez Valero, Elche, Spain Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine 1-0 2-1 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
34 2003-09-10 Estadio Martinez Valero, Elche, Spain Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine 2-0 2-1 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
35 2003-10-11 Hanrapetakan Stadium, Yerevan, Armenia Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia 0-2 0-4 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
36 2003-11-15 Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Flag of Norway.svg Norway 1-1 2-1 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying - Play-offs
37 2003-11-19 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway Flag of Norway.svg Norway 0-1 0-3 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying - Play-offs
38 2004-03-31 El Molinón, Gijón, Spain Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 2-0 2-0 Friendly match
39 2004-09-03 Estadio Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland 1-1 1-1 Friendly match
40 2004-10-09 Estadio El Sardinero, Santander, Spain Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium 2-0 2-0 2006 World Cup Qualifier
41 2005-02-09 Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, Almería, Spain Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino 3-0 5-0 2006 World Cup Qualifier
42 2005-09-07 Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain Flag of Serbia and Montenegro.svg Serbia and Montenegro 1-0 1-1 2006 World Cup Qualifier
43 2006-06-03 Estadio Martinez Valero, Elche, Spain Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt 1-0 2-0 Friendly match
44 2006-06-19 Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia 1-1 3-1 2006 FIFA World Cup

Honors and awards

Real Madrid

Individual

Orders

References

  1. ↑ http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/30/stories/2005093007521800.htm
  2. ↑ "Defeat mars Raúl record". UEFA.com (2007-02-22). Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
  3. ↑ "The captain hasn't been booked in two and a half years (Raúl, a gentleman of fair play)". Realmadrid.com (2007-04-24). Retrieved on 2007-12-15.
  4. ↑ Raúl alcanza los 300 goles
  5. ↑ SOC: Spain 9 Austria 0 result - AAP Sports News, reprinted on highbeam.com (Partial article)
  6. ↑ Clinical Spain make perfect start - UEFA.com, 9/7/02
  7. ↑ "Raúl González Blanco - Goals in International Matches". Rsssf.com (2006-11-03). Retrieved on 2008-07-11.
  8. ↑ "Raúl wins the Di Stéfano Trophy". Realmadrid.com (2008-05-20). Retrieved on 2008-08-06.
  9. ↑ "Di Stéfano's worthy heir". Realmadrid.com (2008-09-14). Retrieved on 2008-09-14.
  10. ↑ "Grateful Spain rewards Raúl". Uefa.com (2006-05-25). Retrieved on 2008-07-07.

External links

Real Madrid C.F. – current squad

1 Casillas • 2 Salgado • 3 Pepe • 4 Sergio Ramos • 5 Cannavaro • 6 Diarra • 7 Raúl • 8 Gago • 9 Saviola • 10 Sneijder • 11 Robben • 12 Marcelo • 13 Codina • 14 Guti • 15 Drenthe • 16 Heinze • 17 van Nistelrooy • 18 De la Red • 20 Higuaín • 21 Metzelder • 22 Torres • 23 van der Vaart • 24 Javi García • 25 Dudek • Coach: Juande Ramos