RAUL GONZALEZ BLANCORN

(Born in 1977)

Playing in the club Real Madrid. Since 1996, stands in the national team of Spain.

Great Madrid "Royal Club" - an international team in the world. Here are Brazilians Carlos Alberto and Ronaldo, the Frenchman Zidane, Figo the Portuguese, the Englishman Beckham. It seems even surprising that in the company of great players is the fundamental madridets. Nevertheless, this is so, and his name is Raul Gonzalez Blanco, although the entire football world just called him Raul.

Can also wonder what Raul in childhood dream to play for another club in Madrid - Atletico Madrid, because he was sick of his father. But fate turned out differently, as he now Raul is unlikely to regret. Evolved as the fate of the great football of Madrid is not very easy.

Raul was born in the Madrid suburb in a poor family - his father, an electrician had to feed three children. Buying a bicycle as a gift to his son was his event. The son all day chasing the ball in the yard and dreamed of football glory. When his father gave him the form of Spain′s national team player, so happy that day because he could not sleep.

However, in childhood Raul was incredibly thin and feeble. Coaching football school immediately put him on the cross, even though he already had a good dribble and run fast. Raul′s mother later recalled that one day my son woke up ravenous appetite, and he was constantly pestering her with questions, how many calories in each dish.

Photo — «Raul Gonzalez Blancorn»

It quickly became clear that he wants to gain weight to please the coaches.

I must say that in our days Raúl no different solid piece, retaining all their natural grace and ease. Gain weight, despite all efforts, not much happened. But he skilfully turned with the ball, evading opponents with ease at high speed. In the end, just that he liked the capital club Atletico Madrid, Raul enrolled in the youth school. Then he was thirteen years old, and Raul was at the top of happiness.

At first in my life this training, he further honed technique, but the summer of 1992 the owners of Atletico Madrid have closed the youth out of school because of financial problems. Fifteen-year Raul was back on the street and it was then left to offer their services to Real Madrid. Fortunately, there have been no surprises, and happy to have a youth team "Royal Club".

Debut Raul in Real Madrid held, as we now believe, September 19, 1992. On this day, met youth team "Royal Club" and "Alcalá". Raul came to cheer for his father. Boys "Real" easily won - 5:0, and one of the goals has Raul. Later the youth team coach "Royal Club" Antonio Kuiroga recalled: "Even on that first day he took over the team and became its leader forever. I saw this boy of fifteen bright personality and knew: in front of me - the future genius. Raul was extraordinarily demanding on himself.

Photo — «Raul Gonzalez Blancorn»

For many of the criteria for exceeding mates, was never arrogant, he treated everyone with great respect. He lived to play football, was obsessed with football. And I like that he still remains so. "

Then Raul moved upward line and did not spare himself in training. We had it bad enough: time to get to the stadium, had to get up at dawn, to go first on the train, then the subway, then bus. In seventeen years, he first entered the field in the core team "Real Madrid". It happened Oct. 29, 1994 in an away match against Zaragoza. True, the "Real" in the day lost, but the debutant made an excellent impression. Without any signs of unrest, which might be expected, he made several stunning solo passages.

Since then, this sleek, fast, unstoppable striker played in "Royal Club" for more than a decade, becoming one of the brightest stars of world football. During this time, Raul collected every conceivable award - not once was the champion of Spain, three times winner of the Champions League, twice won the Intercontinental Cup, European Super Cup once. He became during this time the captain and Real Madrid a real symbol of "Royal Club". No wonder some fans jokingly call him "Real Madrid, and" Raul Madrid.

And Raul scored goals that can please the most demanding gourmets football. In one of the matches effortlessly passed from the corner flag, at a speed of beating several defenders and then the goalkeeper.

Photo — «Raul Gonzalez Blancorn»

And in December 2003, Raul scored an unbelievably beautiful goal against the club, which had once dreamed of playing - Atlético de Madrid. He stood with his back to the gate and after the filing Beckham changed the direction of the ball so that he flew over the goalkeeper sprung forward and was in the grid.

I must say, the fans adore Raoul not only for his game, but for a surprising modesty inherent in it outside a football field. If the same about Ronaldo told reporters vied with each other and were tall tales, describing his love of adventure and loved cars, then Raul holds all my free time with family, back in 1999 by marrying Mamen Sanz, a former Centerfolds and "Miss Madrid". The whole world sees how he scored another goal, he kisses the ring, a gift from his wife.

Collected numerous awards along with Real Madrid, Raul has repeatedly declared that it would be perfectly happy only when the will to win a big victory for the Spaniards. However, the national team is not very lucky.

Raul first appeared in its composition in 1996, at the European Championships, but then the coaches considered him too young, and on the field he did not leave. In 1998, the World Cup in France he was one of the major players, but Spain′s team did not even emerged from the group stage. Absurd mistake goalkeeper Subisaretty led to the fatal defeat of the Nigerian national team - 2:3.

Photo — «Raul Gonzalez Blancorn»

In the last match of the Spanish team just defeated Bulgaria - 6:1, but the team played, already knowing that even victory does not give them a chance to move ahead.

And at the European Championships in 2000 had a memorable mistake with the penalty mark Raoul quarterfinal match against France. Penalties was appointed at the last minute when the score was 2:1 in favor of the French, but the ball flew just above the "nine". "I was crying on the field, then bellowed in the locker room, could not relax in the hotel - Raul recalled later. - The World to me as if struck. Upon arriving home, I did not want to see anyone, I wanted to run away, even from your own home from the sympathy and ridicule.

Bad luck team of Spain and the World Cup 2002. The team took first place in the group scored three victories, the penalty of Ireland team won the match as one in eight finals, but in the quarter finals was faced with a clear judicial injustice. The judge did not credited two "clean" goal, hammered the Spaniards at the gate of South Korean national team, and in the penalty shoot fortune smiled Koreans, one of the hosts of the tournament, - 5:3.