• You are here: Home
•  » UEFA
•  » Germany
•  » FC Schalke 04
•  » Raúl González

Raúl González Blanco (born 27 June 1977 in Madrid, Spain), known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish Association football who plays as a Forward (association football). Raúl González currently plays for Fußball-Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04.
Raúl had spent most of Raúl González career playing for Spanish club Real Madrid C.F. and is the club's all-time top goalscorer. Raúl is a three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and has long been the competition's European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics All-time top goalscorers. Raúl González left Real Madrid on 25 July 2010, having scored 323 goals in 741 appearances, and joined Schalke.

Club career

Youth clubs

Raúl González's career began at Raúl González local team C.D. San Cristóbal de los Ángeles playing for their Alevín team and the Infantil the next season. Raúl González signed with Atlético Madrid Infantil team and won a national title with the Cadete team the following season. Following Atlético's then-president Jesús Gil decision to close their youth academy as a cost-saving measure, Raúl moved on to Real Madrid C.F. Cadete team. The following season, Raúl González was promoted to the Juvenil C team and subsequently went on to play for their Juvenil B and Juvenil A team.

Real Madrid

Raúl González started Raúl González professional career in the 1994–95 season with Real Madrid C, Raúl González scored 13 goals in just 7 games and swiftly promoted to the first team by coach Jorge Valdano, replacing the legendary figure of Emilio Butragueño in a highly symbolic "passing of the crown". Raúl González became the youngest player (17 years and 124 days) ever to play for the senior side, (even though the record was finally broken by Alberto Rivera Pizarro, at the late of that season) and on 29 October 1994 in an away game against Real Zaragoza in La Romareda, Raúl González created a goal for strike partner Iván Zamorano and impressing observers with all-round play of startling precocity, and heralding the demise of Butragueño in the process. The very next week, Raúl scored Raúl González first goal in Raúl González second senior game on a Santiago Bernabéu Stadium debut against the rival and also Raúl's former youth club, Atlético Madrid in a bitter derby match. Duly establishing himself as a fixture in the first team, Raúl registered a total of nine goals in 28 appearances to help Real Madrid win the 1994–95 La Liga in Raúl González first season.

With Real Madrid, Raúl González won several honours, including further La Liga titles in 1996–97 (scoring 21 La Liga goals), 2000–01 (scoring 24 La Liga goals), and 2002–03 (scoring 16 La Liga goals in a campaign truncated by a bout of appendicitis for which Raúl was hospitalized). During the period 1998–2002, Raúl and Real Madrid also won three UEFA Champions League trophies (1998, 2000 and 2002). For most of this time, Raúl struck up a prolific scoring partnership with Fernando Morientes (and later Ronaldo). Raúl took over the captaincy of Real Madrid when Fernando Hierro was transferred in 2003, a responsibility Raúl González held until leaving the club in 2010. Despite appearing in two finals, in 2002 Copa del Rey Final (in which Raúl González scored) and 2004 Copa del Rey Final, Raúl never lifted the Copa del Rey.

Raúl González became the first player to score fifty Champions League goals when Raúl González netted in a 2–1 group stage win over Olympiacos F.C. on 28 September 2005, and continues to be the all-time leader in appearances (128). Raúl González was also the first player to score in two Champions League finals, netting in the finals of both 2000 UEFA Champions League Final against Valencia CF in Stade de France, Saint-Denis and 2002 UEFA Champions League Final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Hampden Park, Glasgow. Samuel Eto'o later equaled this feat, scoring in the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final against Arsenal F.C. and in 2009 UEFA Champions League Final against Manchester United F.C. with Lionel Messi also scoring in the same match and later in 2011 UEFA Champions League Final against the same team.

Raúl holds the distinction of having never received a Penalty card throughout Raúl González 17 years at the professional level. On 11 November 2008, Raúl scored Raúl González 300th goal for Real Madrid with a hat-trick against Real Unión, with Real winning the game 4–3 but being eliminated on away goals after draw 6–6 on aggregate. In total, Raúl scored 323 goals for Real Madrid, breaking the long-standing club record of Alfredo Di Stéfano with a volleyed goal against Sporting Gijon on 15 February 2009. Raúl González is also the top active La Liga goalscorer with 228 goals in La Liga matches, and is presently third on the all-time list, which is headed by Telmo Zarra with 252 goals. Raúl holds the record of all-time top La Liga scorer for Real Madrid with 228, a record previously held by Alfredo Di Stéfano.

Raúl and fellow long-serving teammate Iker Casillas were both awarded 'contracts for life' in 2008 (the terms of which stipulate that it will be renewed annually for as long as they play 30 games each season).
On 23 September 2009, Raúl equalled former veteran and legend Manuel Sanchís Hontiyuelo' league appearance record for Real Madrid, and is second in La Liga behind Andoni Zubizarreta who played 622 games.

Raúl's last touch with the ball as Real Madrid player before an injury ruled Raúl González out of action for the rest of 2009–10 La Liga was to score Raúl González last goal, an opening goal scored on 24 April 2010 in a 1–2 away victory against Real Zaragoza in La Romareda (the stadium where Raúl González made Raúl González first debut back in 1994). It was scored on 50' minutes after Raúl (himself only on the pitch as a substitute for Rafael van der Vaart on 15' minutes) had signalled that Raúl González could not physically continue and was prepared to be substituted by Karim Benzema one minute after the goal. Before the substitution could be made, Real Madrid launched a counter-attack to create a goal. Though Raúl ran to a slow hobble, Raúl González shuffled into the box and was able to poke the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo's cross.

Having spent the rest of the season recovering from that injury, the club confirmed on 25 July 2010 that Raúl would be leaving the club, a day after Raúl González teammate Guti (footballer) confirmed Raúl González was leaving too after 15 years.

Raúl scored Raúl González first goal for the club during Raúl González first match on 1 August 2010 with a brace in a 3–1 victory over FC Bayern Munich in the final match pre-season competition LIGA total! Cup LIGA total! Cup 2010 2010–11 FC Bayern Munich season LIGA total! Cup 2010. One week later, Raúl González made Raúl González official match debut in the 2010 DFL-Supercup on 7 August 2010 against Bayern Munich again, but this time Raúl González failed to score in the 2–0 defeat match. Raul made Raúl González official Fußball-Bundesliga debut on 21 August 2010, in a 2–1 defeat against Hamburger SV. and scored Raúl González first goal for Schalke in Bundesliga against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 25 September 2010 in a 2–2 draw. After a quiet start Raúl González has rediscovered Raúl González goalscoring form in the Bundesliga with a brace against FC St. Pauli on 5 November 2010 in a 3–0 win, and on 20 November 2010 Raúl González scored Raúl González first hat-trick for the club in a 4–0 win over SV Werder Bremen. On 18 December 2010 Raúl González scored Raúl González second hat-trick for Schalke in a 3–0 win against 1. FC Köln.

Raúl scored another crucial goal on 2 March 2011 in a 0–1 victory over the arch-rival, FC Bayern Munich in the semifinal of 2010–11 DFB-Pokal. After absent for 6 years, Schalke ultimately reached the finals since 2005. In 2011 DFB-Pokal Final, they played against MSV Duisburg, the first 2. Fußball-Bundesliga team which reached the final since 2004.
Raúl never won a domestic cup with Real Madrid C.F. (the Copa del Rey), but on 21 May 2011, in Raúl González first season, Raúl González finally won a domestic cup and got Raúl González maiden trophy with Raúl González new club. They won the tournament with a 0–5 win in the Olympic Stadium (Berlin) in Berlin. This success was followed with victory two months later on 23 July 2011 in the 2011 DFL-Supercup against 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga champions and rivals Borussia Dortmund.

In European play, Raúl has since become the highest goal scorer in all UEFA competitions with 73 goals, ahead of A.C. Milan veteran Filippo Inzaghi with 70 goals. Raúl González scored 71 goals in UEFA Champions League (66 goals with Real Madrid C.F. and 5 with FC Schalke 04) and addition Raúl González two goals with the Real Madrid C.F. side, one goal in 2000 UEFA Super Cup and the other one in 1998 Intercontinental Cup (also commonly referred to as Intercontinental Cup (football)). On 22 October 2010, the former Spanish international scored twice against Hapoel Tel Aviv in a 3–1 win, which tied Raúl González with German legend Gerd Müller for the most number of European goals. Raúl duly broke this record on 15 February 2011 on Raúl González return to Spain, with a crucial away goal in the last 16 tie against Valencia CF at the Mestalla Stadium in a 1–1 draw.
In the quarter-finals, Raúl scored two goals against F.C. Internazionale Milano. Raúl González scored one goal in the first leg, a 2–5 away win in San Siro and one goal in the second leg, a 2–1 home win in Veltins-Arena. Schalke progressed to the semi-finals of the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history, where they played against Manchester United F.C.. Schalke lost the first game 0–2, which was their first home defeat this season in this tournament and lost again 4–1 in Old Trafford; despite that defeat Raúl considered it an honor that Raúl González swapped shirts with Ryan Giggs. The goals came in a 5–0 thumping that cemented Schalke's position in third place going into the winter break.

On 19 February 2012, Raúl González scored the 400th goal of Raúl González career, at that time, 323 with Real Madrid, 44 with Spain and 33 with Schalke.

International career

Raúl began Raúl González Spain career at youth level and represented the nation at the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship, scoring three goals from five matches. In total, Rául scored 17 goals at the various youth levels for Spain. With the senior team, Raúl went on for many years to score a national record 44 goals in 102 caps for Spain national football team. Though David Villa later equaled Raúl's record in 2010, and surpassed it on 25 March 2011 in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group I.

Of Raúl González 44 international goals, Raúl scored 32 goals in competitive games, 6 of which were in the finals of major tournaments and 12 others on friendly games. On 27 March 1999, in UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying Group 6, Raúl scored four goals, one of Raúl González only two international hat-tricks, during Spain's 9–0 rout of Austria national football team. Raúl González scored another international hat-trick four days later, against San Marino national football team during the same qualifying tournament.

Raúl took over the team captaincy following the retirement of Fernando Hierro in 2002 and skippered the national side for four years.

Curiously, Raúl's international career would begin and end with omissions from Spanish squads for European Championships tournaments. In spite of a successful first two seasons of senior football, Raúl was not chosen by then-coach Javier Clemente for UEFA Euro 1996 in England. Instead, Raúl had to wait until October 1996 to earn Raúl González first senior cap against the Czech Republic national football team, before opening Raúl González international goal tally with a strike on Raúl González second appearance against Yugoslavia. Raúl went on to participate in three World Cups from 1998 to 2006, along with Euro 2000 and Euro 2004, scoring at least one goal in each of the three World Cup competitions. At 2002 FIFA World Cup, Raúl González scored 3 goals in the group phase before injuring himself against the Republic of Ireland national football team in Spain's fourth game and missing the remainder of the tournament.

Raúl has not been chosen for the national team since September 2006, following a 3–2 defeat against Northern Ireland national football team in Belfast (a game in which Raúl hit the post late on), including the UEFA Euro 2008 final tournament, as Luis Aragonés preferred Fernando Torres and David Villa as Raúl González first choice strike force. Raúl's clubmate and goalkeeper Iker Casillas succeeded Raúl González as captain and also lifted the FIFA World Cup in 2010, which Spain also won.

Personal life

Early in Raúl González career, Raúl's goal celebration consisted of kissing Raúl González wedding ring as an acknowledgment to Raúl González wife Mamen Sanz whom Raúl González married in 1999 and with whom Raúl González has four sons and a daughter: Jorge, named after Jorge Valdano, Hugo, twins Héctor and Mateo and María. Raúl González enjoys listening to Spanish music and reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte.

On 16 October 2004, Raúl González Blanco was appointed as Food and Agriculture Organization FAO Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations.

Honours

Club

Real Madrid
- La Liga (6): 1994–95 La Liga, 1996–97 La Liga, 2000–01 La Liga, 2002–03 La Liga, 2006–07 La Liga, 2007–08 La Liga
- Supercopa de España (4): 1997 Supercopa de España, 2001 Supercopa de España, 2003 Supercopa de España, 2008 Supercopa de España
- UEFA Champions League (3): 1997–98 UEFA Champions League, 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, 2001–02 UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Super Cup (1): 2002 UEFA Super Cup
- Intercontinental Cup (football) (2): 1998 Intercontinental Cup, 2002 Intercontinental Cup

Schalke 04
- DFB-Pokal (1): 2010–11 DFB-Pokal
- DFL-Supercup (1): 2011 DFL-Supercup

Country

Spain national youth football team
- Spain national under-20 football team
- - FIFA World Youth Championship
- - - Fourth place: 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship
- Spain national under-21 football team
- - UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
- - - Runner-up: Silver medal 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship (qualified for Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics)

Individual

- Don Balón Award (1): 1994–95 La Liga
- Don Balón Award (5): 1996–97 La Liga, 1998–99 La Liga, 1999–2000 La Liga, 2000–01 La Liga, 2001–02 La Liga (record)
- European Sports Magazines (3): European Sports Magazines 1996–97, European Sports Magazines 1998–99, European Sports Magazines 1999–00
- Intercontinental Cup (football) Man of the match (1): 1998 Intercontinental Cup
- IFFHS (1): 1999
- Zarra Trophy (4): 1995–96 La Liga^- , 1998–99 La Liga^- , 2000–01 La Liga^- , 2002–03 La Liga^-
- Pichichi Trophy (2): 1998–99 La Liga, 2000–01 La Liga
- Copa del Rey Top Scorer (2): 2001–02 Copa del Rey, 2003–04 Copa del Rey
- UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying Top Scorer: 2000
- UEFA European Football Championship Teams of the Tournament (1): UEFA Euro 2000 Team of the Tournament
- List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League top scorers (2): 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, 2000–01 UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Champions League Best Forward (3): ^- 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, 2000–01 UEFA Champions League, 2001–02 UEFA Champions League (record)
- Ballon d'Or Silver award (1): Ballon d'Or 2001
- FIFA World Player of the Year Bronze award (1):2001 FIFA World Player of the Year
- FIFA 100
- Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano (1): 2007–08 La Liga
- Golden Foot Award Runner-up (3): Golden Foot 2009, Golden Foot 2010, 2011
- Marca Leyenda: 2009
- Best goal in Bundesliga (1): 2011

Records

- List of Real Madrid C.F. records and statistics Overall scorers
- List of Real Madrid C.F. records and statistics Most appearances
- List of Real Madrid C.F. records and statistics Goalscorers
- List of Real Madrid C.F. records and statistics Appearances
- Real Madrid Record Goalscorer in UEFA Champions League: 66 goals
- List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League top scorers: 71 goals
- Real Madrid Record Appearance Maker in UEFA Champions League: 132 games
- European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics Players: 144 games
- Real Madrid Record Goalscorer in European Competitions: 67 goals^-
- European Cup and UEFA Champions League records and statistics Players Goalscoring: 73 goals^-
- Real Madrid Record Appearance Maker in European Competitions: 135 games^-

- Real Madrid Record Goalscorer in UEFA Competitions: 68 goals^{^^}
- UEFA club competition records Top scorers in UEFA club competitions: 74 goals^{^^}
- Real Madrid Record Appearance Maker in UEFA Competitions: 138 games^{^^}
- Fourth place IFFHS all-time leading goalscorer: 122 goals^{^^}


- Has not received a red card in entire career until now (February 2012)

Orders

- Government of Spain: Orden de las Artes y las Letras de España 2006
- Madrid: Gold Medal 2009

Photo: Raúl González - FC Schalke 04