Raul Madrid

One could not imagine a better way to celebrate a jubilee than to score a goal. That is exactly what Raul Gonzales did this weekend playing his 500^th league game for Spanish champions Real Madrid against Mallorca. Raul scored the second goal on the game putting the ball past the keeper with his heel thus reaching the impressive total of 212 league goals !

During his illuminant career that started September 29, 1994 when, as only a 17-year-old, Raul had his debut against Zaragoza when he became the youngest player ever to play for the senior team, he is still a valuable part of Juande Ramos’ team. Raul broke many records playing for Real, few more are soon to be broken – Sunday game at Mallorca saw him joining the great “500 club” together with only five other club’s legends that managed to notch this many games in Madrid. Also, he is the second all-time scorer with the tally of 212 goals and is sure to catch up with Di Stefano who is at the top of the list with 216 goals.

His international career started in October 1996, when he earned his first cap against Czech Republic and until now has scored a national record of 44 goals in 102 caps for Spain. Having been replaced by David Villa and Fernando Torres, the younger prospects, Raul didn’t take part in Euro 2008, he wasn’t even chosen as one of the back-up strikers. There was a clamor among many fans, a real media fuss emerged which began to interfere with the work of international coach, but the calm Raul issued a statement he had nothing personal against Luis Aragones and that he understood his absence was solely a football matter. Truly a great man…

There you have it – the ideal story of an ideal man. Real captain represents all the good that is there in the football world and there are not many players like him. Raul devoted his entire career to a single purpose. He has never sought the personal glory nor put himself above his team’s success. One thing he always regarded sacred, Real Madrid, club, institution, life ! Raul is more than a captain, he is an idol, a real “Madridista”, boy from the block giving the example for the generations to come. Apart from his qualities as a football player, this man is also a modest, level-headed person. An interesting fact illustrating his behavior on the pitch is that during his entire days Raul had been booked only 22 times and has never been sent off! He has never said a bad word about refs or the opponents, always respectful that’s how he is. Many should try to learn something from him…

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