Happy Birthday Raul – Thank you for everything!

June 27, 1977, Madrid, a star was born. Several years later, that star’s luminosity reached all over the World capturing the hearts of millions of people. That star was Raul Gonzalez Blanco.

Raul started playing career at San Cristóbalde los Ángeles before moving to Altetico Madrid’s youth team. However, Atleti’s then president, Jesus Gil, closed the entire youth academy to save the costs of the Club.

Raul then moved to Real Madrid and that is where the star started to shine.

October 29th 1994, a 17 year old Raul subs in for Emilio Butregueno – another Club legend – and puts up a splendid performance on his debut, creating a goal for Ivan Zamorano. The very next week in his home debut, Raul scored his first ever goal for Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid – which was also his youth Club. Here’s the video:

I was not fortunate enough to watch his first ever goal for Real Madrid live as I was exactly 2 years and 2 months old at that time and didn’t even know what Football was. Raul went on to have a stellar career since then, winning 3 Champions Leagues and 6 La Ligas with Real Madrid. His leadership, work ethic, unmatched determination, charisma, calmness, composure, finishing, sportsmanship, Madridismo and almost everything made me, and many people around the World, a huge fan of his.

“Real [Madrid] buy these big players like Figo, Zidane and Ronaldo but I think the best player in the world is Raúl.” – Sir Alex Ferguson.

Even now, at the age of 35, he continuously keeps running for 90 minutes – and scoring, too. But what hurts me a lot is that he never won anything with the Spanish National team.

When Spain were knocked out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup by South Korea, I thought to myself, “will I ever see Spain and Raul win the World Cup?” – I half did. I did see Spain win the World Cup 2010 and Euro 2008. But deep down, I was gutted. Gutted because Raul wasn’t in the Spain squad in any of those 2 tournaments – and perhaps he will never be. Perhaps it was not in his fate to win anything with the national team – his peak not coinciding with the Golden Generation of Spain’s Football makes that point stronger.

But the worst and the most painful day, however, was June 25th 2010. That was the day when I and many Madridistas cried our eyes out. That was the day when our captain left Real Madrid to join Schalke 04.

That was the day when the commentator’s prediction came true, the commentator of the match between Zaragoza v Real Madrid on April 24th 2010 – which was Raul’s last match as a Real Madrid player.

When Raul scored in that game, the commentator said that this might be Raul’s last goal as a Real Madrid player. He was right; that was Raul’s last goal as a Real Madrid player. Raul, who was going to be substituted by Karim Benzema, jogged into the box and poked a Cristiano Ronaldo pass into the net, And I was lucky, and honoured, to see that goal live.

It was hard. Hard to see Real Madrid without its symbol. Hard to see Real Madrid without its son. Hard to see someone else’s name on the number 7 shirt. Hard to know that Raul will not be retiring from his playing career at Real Madrid.

But now, we have to see it all.

Raul may have left Real Madrid and European Football, but his memories will stay with me till I die. 16 years at Real Madrid and 2 years at Schalke … so many memories, so many moments of glory, so many moments of joy. Looking back at his career, I feel very sad that those moments have passed away and we will never get them back again. He graced the Bernabeu and the Footballing World with his charisma.

His first goal, signaling the Camp Now crowd to keep quiet, his goals in the Champions league final against Valencia and Leverkusen, his goals in Clasicos, celebrating his goal by kissing the right ring finger, breaking Alfredo di Stefano’s record to become Real’s highest goal-scorer, his last goal for Real Madrid, his first goal for Schalke, his heroics in the 2010-11 Champions League to take Schalke to the semis, his last goal for Schalke … the memory remains.

It was fitting that in his last Champions League game ever, the referee blew the full-time whistle when he had the ball under his possession. A charming end to Mr. Champions League’s Champions League career.

The star was unique, no galaxy had it and no galaxy will ever have a star like Raul. There won’t be another Raul.

Happy birthday, Raul! You will forever remain in our hearts! Viva Raul!