Life after Madrid
Raul joined Schalke from Madrid in 2010, as he would score 40 goals in just two season in Germany, teaming up with former teammate Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to lead Schalke to a German Cup win and a Champions League semi-final berth. After an emotional testimonial, he moved to Qatari side Al Sadd, leading them to a league title in 2013. He joined his last club, New York Cosmos in 2014 and played one season there. His last game was a win in the final of the Soccer Bowl, his 23rd career honor. In November 2015, Raul Gonzalez Blanco retired from football. He had just turned 39.
I finish this article with a quote from Jorge Valdano, the man who gave Raul his debut all those years ago. This quote describes Raul more eloquently than I could and who better to give a conclusion on everything about Raul’s glimmering career than the man who started it all:
"“If you wrote a list of Raúl’s qualities, it would be a list of the values of Real Madrid. He is the Di Stéfano of our time. He is the people, the incarnation of Madridismo.”"
Next: Could Mariano Diaz be leaving Real Madrid this summer?