RAUL GONZALEZ REAL MADRID LEGEND

The 15^th February 2009 was an historic date for Real Madrid. Di Stefano record had stood for nearly 45 years now it is broken by Raul who arrived at Real Madrid as 15 years old even as a kid he was always destined to make it at the highest level. Madrid is a city that always thinks big and Raul has made one of the biggest statements of all breaking goal scoring records for Spain and Real Madrid becoming one of the symbols of the city but it all started in one of the more obscure suburbs to the south of the city San Cristobal de Los Angeles he was born there on the 27^th of June 1977 and attended school Roman Gomez de la Sena. But it was just beyond the school gates that Raul found his passion at the local football club a youth team in the district Raul started to play there as an 11 year old and one person remembers the young Raul is Renato de la cour one of his first coach. As a southern suburb of Madrid San Cristobal is a strong hold of Atletico de Madrid support and Raul was no exception his father Don Pedro was a passionate Atletico fan and his son made him a very happy man when Raul joined Atletico as youngster at the age of 13 he was Atletico through and through and his father was too then everything changed. So Raul started out at Atletico’s Vicente Calderon stadium rather than the Bernabeu but famously Atletico’s volatile president K whose Hillel disbanded the youth scheme and Raul left the nowhere to go but neighbours Real Madrid who were more pleased to take him.

So Raul had made it to the Bernabeu but still he was one of hundreds trying to make its as a professional his dedication took him to Madrid’s 13 where he caught the attention of the coach Jorge Valdano. He wasn’t necessarily a very strong player not particularly fast or even that great technically the secret of his success it was in his head. The debut came on the 29^th of october 1994 against Real Zargoza and Raul became the youngest player ever to play for Real Madrid he was just four months past his birthday a week later  there was an even more significant game for the former Atletico fan. And once the youngster was establish in the team the goal just kept coming. Raul is all about goals he always had the edge over everyone else inside the area because he was so clever his thinking was much quicker than his opponent and he was so intelligent. Raul too became a star of the Primeira Liga he won the first league title in 1995 and another followed in 1997 with Raul voted the best player in La Liga that season. At the end of the season a new striker partner joined Fernando Morientes teamed up with Raul to form one of the deadliest strike partnerships in Europe. Morientes arrived Raul was already well establish in the national team and in time became SPAIN’S captain and top goal scorer. But it was with Madrid that Raul was to have the most significant moments of his career success though at Real Madrid would always be measured against those distant glory days that were always filmed in black and white the days when Alfredo Di Stefano was the king of the Bernabeu and Madrid ruled the football world. It had 32 years since Real Madrid at one European cup final but in 1998 normal service was resumed it was like the 1950 once again this time in color finally Real Madrid is back in European cup final. Real Madrid face Juventus in final and Juventus one of the best team around at the time with so many great players like Zidane and Del Piero. And Real Madrid seal the final victory. 2 years later Real Madrid have another chance to play in the final this time against Spanish team Valencia who had done really well in champions league. Real Madrid won the final again by the brilliance of Raul goal. With two European cups In three seasons the magic was returning to the grand old club Real Madrid they were named team of the 20^th century and Raul like Di Stefano in his time becoming Madrid symbol. Raul is social phenomenon in Spain. Raul although kept scoring and kept receiving football personal awards and after all winning is what Real Madrid are all about. At time an unbalanced side the Galacticos did have their moments of brilliance. In 2002 with Figo and Zidane in the side there was another Champions league final to celebrate once again Raul’s on target with the first but this final will always be remembered for the volley goal scored by Zidane. So another European cup for the team of the 20^th century it was Madrid ninth and Raul’s third champions league title.

Raul is the all time top scorer for Spain success was to prove strangely elusive . Spain went to win euro 2008 under Aragon is the nation’s first tophy for 44 years but for many there was something missing Raul literally missed him. Back in Bernabeu Raul;s value had never been in doubt against all the odds another title arrived in 2007 after Madrid come from behind in the table to beat their rivals Barcelona. It was Real Madrid 30^th premeira Liga title delivered by their captain and leader. February 2009 with his 308 goals for Real Madrid Raul became greatest ever goal scorer. Raul Gonzalez Blanco spent 16 years of his playing career for Real Madrid he scored 323 goals become the club second all time top scorer in 741 appearances. He also scored 44 goals for Spain in 102 appearances. Raul considered one of the great  players in histroy of Real Madrid football.
FOR MORE STORIES VISIT; football-galaxy01.blogspot.com