Raúl González Blanco (born
27 June 1977 in Madrid, Spain), known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish
footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club
Schalke 04. Raúl had spent most of his career playing for Spanish club
Real Madrid and is the club's all-time top goalscorer. Raúl is a
three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and has long been the
competition's all-time leading goalscorer. He left Real Madrid on 25
July 2010, having scored 323 goals in 741 appearances, and joined
Schalke.
Early in his career, Raúl's goal celebration consisted of kissing his wedding ring as an acknowledgment to his wife Mamen Sanz whom he married in 1999 and with whom he has four sons and a daughter: Jorge, named after Jorge Valdano, Hugo, twins Héctor and Mateo and María. He enjoys listening to Spanish music and reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte.
Early in his career, Raúl's goal celebration consisted of kissing his wedding ring as an acknowledgment to his wife Mamen Sanz whom he married in 1999 and with whom he has four sons and a daughter: Jorge, named after Jorge Valdano, Hugo, twins Héctor and Mateo and María. He enjoys listening to Spanish music and reading, especially the books of Arturo Pérez Reverte.
On 16 October 2004, Raúl González Blanco was appointed as FAO Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations.
