Raul Blanco

August 23 at the time of the draw Champions League group stage in 2001/2002 Monte Carlo footballer Real Madrid Raul Gonzalez Blanco was awarded a special prize UEFA. 24-year-old Spaniard, the second consecutive year declared the best attacker of the Champions League.
Last season he became the main scorer of the most prestigious club competition of the continent, scoring 7 goals.

Personal account of Raoul in the League for his career now stands at 28 goals. In addition, madridets from 24 balls was the best goleadorom last championship of Spain, with the young leader of the team are often single-handedly decide the outcome of matches, bringing Real Madrid important points. Now the fans are eagerly awaiting what will make their idol, speaking in the club with a great bunch Figo and Zidane.

Let the loser cries.
With Raul, Zidane met under tragic circumstances for themselves during the team's match against world champions Spain - French for EURO-2000. His team loses in the course of the meeting 1:2, and Raul had to act as the savior of Spanish dreams, but instead his strike from the 11-meter mark sent her to heaven. Hit the ball in the wing while the gates, no, even the most desperate throw of the French goalkeeper Barthez would not have saved his team from the inevitable goal.

"Sometimes you miss, and sometimes slaughter. I was absolutely sure that I can do it. I was also convinced to be able to bring that blow draw his team, and at first I thought that the ball goes in the top ten most. Representing, as he flies there ... Now I can only apologize to fans and partners on the team, "- with these words with tears in his eyes loser Raul left the field. The Spaniards, as they could, tried to comfort him, nor about any allegations against him there was no question.

Support Raoul tried even rivals. The great Zinedine Zidane exchanged a T-shirt and sympathetically patted on the shoulder - the guy went on to smear tears of vexation on his cheeks ...
"I could not restrain himself - told later, Raul - because I had to unburden. I'm waiting for this moment, because such opportunities rarely available. That slipped away from me, but will still others, and I will try to use them better. "
God has given - show!

It seems that the words in the wind, he threw was not used. Raul continues to do on the field of what was expected of him millions of fans: he scores. And, admiring his idol, thousands of Spanish boys, probably dreaming of repeating his fate. Because it is close to them and understandable. Lower-income family in which the work had only a father - a simple electrician. And Raul is older brother and sister. The head of the family - an avid fan of the Madrid Atletico Madrid, and therefore the only son should play for this club.

In the 13 years he saw the president of Atletico Madrid Jesц?s Gil and promised that such talented guys soon beat their peers from the arrogant "Real". However, when it came to signing the first, purely symbolic agreement with the youthful team Atletico Madrid, tehsekretar to work with a reserve of talented and clearly rejected needy kid in a minuscule amount. Raul, offended, went to the "Real". Despite the fact that specialists from the Royal School's football club are browsing for a year over 10 thousand boys, Raul, they noticed immediately. He played in the youth team, and junior, and in the branch - that is, "double", in our. And everywhere became the best of goleadorom

. Autumn 94-th, . calendar day before the match between Real Zaragoza - Real Madrid CF, . has spent only a few workouts with the first team 17-year-old Raul coach Jorge Valdano withdrew into a corner of the field, . separately from, . and said: "I tell you specifically about this face to face to announce, . so that you faint not crashed - playing tomorrow! "It sounds cruel, . but coach, . Following its principle, . wanted to see, . as "a drowning man" will be independently fight for life, . I will be able to swim,
. If God gave you - show me!

And young Raul showed. Although the match ended, and for him, and for the team dramatically: "Real" lost. But Raul ... He acted in some moments of brilliant. What cost, for example, his solo passage to the gates of competitors already in the first minutes! Golkiper unable to hold the ball after a scathing attack, and he jumped at the feet of the same Raoul in some 6-7 meters from the huge empty net. A light Tychkov striker could just throw it into the net, but left-hander Raul to run powerfully struck right - above the crossbar. The stadium exploded ...
Over time, "crown" technique of Madrid became soft Cutting the ball when he breaks into the opponent's penalty area and, being alone with the goalkeeper throws the ball through him.

Put out the light ...
Razemeetsya, his goals are now dear. Annual salary striker Royal Club is almost the same as his current superstar partners Figo and Zidane - about 6 million. U.S.. Of course, Raul has long moved with his family from a suburb of Madrid in one of the most elegant areas of the Spanish capital - Miraserra. When this happened, football gladly told reporters about his own large room. Although they are very good friends with his older brother, Raul claimed, but now he is happy because it is free to turn off the light when he personally wants.

Once he had to get to the stadium, changing the several "chaise" Coach. Get Rich, Raul really wanted to buy a luxury jeep powerful. But his constant agent Fermin Gutierrez is not easily convinced the guy to take a car simpler. And Raul got modest "Volkswagen Golf", his first "kochesito" - "machine" which he, probably, from his childhood in a dream and saw only.
And then after a workout, as always, he was surrounded by a crowd of fans: signing autographs. 10, 15 minutes - all of it is difficult to "serve". Raoul darted into the car - and by gas. And some fan-track, middle-aged and obviously unhappy that he walked, struck the roof of the car made the rounds: arrogant, they say, a jerk!

. Raul abrupt halt, jumped out of the steering wheel and with fists to the abuser: "If you just once more finger tronesh the car, I'll ..." With difficulty pilfered
. Spaniards - people temperamental sun blood in the veins is haunting, emotions are always a bit over the edge. Maybe that's why the football they have such a fascinating, rich in beautiful goals, unpredictable.