Raúl (footballer)
Raúl (footballer)
Comunity Hub
arrow-down
arrow-down
arrow-down
Talks
General forumGeneral forum
General chatGeneral chat
Raúl González Blanco, commonly known as Raúl, is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a forward. Born on June 27, 1977, he is regarded as one of the greatest forwards of all time, with a career spanning over two decades and numerous achievements both at club and international levels.
Main Milestones
Birth
June 27, 1977
Raúl González Blanco was born in San Cristóbal de los Ángeles, a neighborhood in Madrid, Spain.
Joining Real Madrid's Youth Academy
1992
Raúl joined Real Madrid's youth academy, La Fábrica, after moving from Atlético Madrid's academy due to financial constraints.
Professional Debut
1994
Raúl made his professional debut for Real Madrid at the age of 17, quickly establishing himself as a key player under coach Jorge Valdano.
Career at Real Madrid
1995-2010
Raúl spent 16 years at Real Madrid, becoming the club's all-time leading scorer (until Cristiano Ronaldo broke the record) with 323 goals in 741 appearances. He won six La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions Leagues, four Supercopa de España titles, one UEFA Super Cup, and two Intercontinental Cups.
International Career
1996-2006
Raúl made his international debut for Spain in 1996 and went on to earn 102 caps, scoring 44 goals. He represented Spain in three FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships.
Career at Schalke 04
2010-2012
Raúl moved to Bundesliga side Schalke 04, where he won a DFB-Pokal and DFL-Supercup. He scored 28 goals in 66 appearances for the club.
Career at Al Sadd and New York Cosmos
2012-2014
Raúl signed with Qatari club Al Sadd, winning the 2012–13 Qatar Stars League title as captain. He then moved to New York Cosmos in 2014, helping the team win the spring season with five wins and five draws.
Initial Retirement
March 5, 2014
Raúl announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the Qatari football season, marking the end of a 20-year-long senior career.
Return to Professional Football
October 30, 2014
Raúl returned to professional football with New York Cosmos, scoring 8 goals in 28 appearances before retiring again at the end of the season.
Youth Coach at Real Madrid
August 17, 2018
Raúl was appointed youth coach at Real Madrid, taking charge of the under-15 squad.
Manager of Real Madrid Castilla
June 20, 2019
Raúl was appointed manager of Real Madrid Castilla, the reserve team of Real Madrid.