06-03-2006
Raúl González: "I feel proud to have played 400 games with the Real Madrid jersey"
Raúl González's football fate seems whimsical. The Captain scored his first goal ever with Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid in his second game in La Liga. This Saturday, he reached an incredible 400 games in the Spanish League precisely against the Spanish capital's archrivals. His debut on 29 October 1994 in La Romareda stadium, which revolutionised Spanish football with his priceless effort and his ease to find the slightest crevice in Zaragoza's defense, seems really far away. His Primera Liga stats are impeccable: 180 strikes, never having been sent off.
Early Memories The fans had to wait until he recovered from his career's worst injury, but the day arrived when Raúl González Blanco added a new record to his service sheet. The Captain nostalgically rememorates the day of his debut: “It was a dream come true. I wanted to play in the Spanish Premier since I was a kid. My memories are very fond; I feel lots of things… including that we lost although I had 4 very clear scoring opportunities.” True, he didn't score in La Romareda. But one week later, in a Bernabéu stadium to full capacity, he put a pass by Laudrup in the top corner of the goalmouth. He could now celebrate his first goal in La Liga “It was thrilling! I ran, started hugging Dani, with whom I shared the pre-match preparation room. I sang, I jumped, I shouted… and then, when I was replaced at the 70-minute mark, I felt something incredible as the Bernabéu gave me a standing ovation.”
During this same 1994-95 season, Raúl contributed -though he did not score- to the White landslide that made Barcelona quiver in early January (5-0): “They had hammered us the prior season. People were just great that whole week, really cheering us on in the old training complex. We really reveled in the experience because it is not everyday that you get a result such as that one.” He raised his first trophy -Primera Liga- that first year in a game against Deportivo thanks to his mentor, Jorge Valdano: “I stepped out and Deportivo tied the match. But then Zamorano scored. I was not a first team fixture at this point of the season, but at 17, I celebrated in style because it had been a while since the last title. It was crazy!” The young number ‘7’ was gaining experience, driving the defenders of Valencia, Deportivo, Sevilla, Athletic, and many other teams mad. He tallied fifty League games precisely in Athletic Bilbao's San Mamés stadium on 24 January 1996. “I remember that strange day. They had just fired Jorge –i.e., Valdano- and I was feeling down. He had given me the opportunity to play in the first team. We won, I scored, but I did not celebrate. I dedicated it to him. It came out spontaneously; I had nothing planned. After that, I realised I was going to have many coaches throughout my career.”
Upsetting the Calderón
His service sheet includes mythical matches, truly unique performances, and gestures to remember. There is no doubt that Real fans have that 18 January 1997 goal in Atlético's Vicente Calderón stadium imprinted in their minds: “It was the season with Fabio Capello. He had just debuted in Spain and my career was really picking up; it was an inflection point. I cored twice, but the goal that marked my career was the one I scored when we were playing one man down... I remember I started running down the Fondo Sur -where the rowdiest fans and sometimes the hooligans stand. It was very daring to run down that area of the stadium and to celebrate my goal so ostentatiously. It is always very important to win a derby.” And so on, until he reached the 100 figure on 7 April 1997 in a non-descript game against Compostela at home: “It was a totally unremarkable day.” However, the return game of the season against the red-and-whites was very important since “I achieved my second League title in a very difficult year. Barcelona had ousted us from the King's Cup and the team was not playing in Europe. I scored that day and we secured another title.” This marked the beginning of the long-awaited path to Real Madrid's seventh top European title.
He scored personal League strikes 50, 51 and 52 against Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu, Valencia in Mestalla, and Sporting Gijón at El Molinón. The first and the latter were two classy and elegant goals. Raúl states that the first “was one of a kind, extremely difficult.” The latter goal was a shot from the corner of the penalty box that went in through the far corner of the goalmouth. He smiles when he rememorates this goal and says,“I saw that Gijón keeper Ablanedo was off his line and I hit the ball with barely two of my toes. I am specially fond of this goal.” It seemed like each personal League anniversary was accompanied by a team loss: in his 150th game against Betis on 4 October 1998, Raúl comments “my contribution –he scored- was to no avail because they won deservedly.” That same season, Raúl scored his first hat trick on 7 February 1999 against Valladolid for a final 3-2 score: “I have very fond memories, like when I got to keep the ball signed by every player in that game. That doesn't happen every day.” These and other strikes helped him get the Top Scorer award, with two goals in the last matchday against Deportivo La Coruña: “It was either Rivaldo or me, and on that last matchday I scored twice for the necessary difference. It was a small revenge after a bad season.”
Silencing the Camp Nou
There was no title in play but Raúl González wanted to increase his legend. He beat Hesp at Barcelona's Camp Nou in a sublime performance on 13 October 1999. He silenced part of the fans after his second goal because “they were shouting things which I didn't quite appreciate. I was furious and I did it spontaneously. It went down in history because of that specific gesture, but I want to underline that I respect Barcelona fans. Still, it is also fair to say that we deserved more than the final draw.”. And so on until he arrived at the 200 League-match mark, which coincided with one of his best scoring streaks –five goals in five games: “It was a sweet moment for me, and it came at the right moment because that year I wasn't doing well in the scoring department. It was our first few months with Vicente del Bosque. I scored my 100th League goal, precisely against Zaragoza.”. That was on 15 April 2000. He scored the winning goal after a penalty kick.
He is not the typical striker, but the Madrid-born can boast two Top Spanish Scorer awards. His second coincided with his 250th game and his third Spanish League title in 2000-01. It was during a “wonderful game at the Bernabéu. I scored two for a grand total of five and the occasion turned out to be just perfect. Then, when I won the Top Scorer award in Valladolid –after scoring another two- I got to partake of then Real Madrid Captain Sanchís's farewell and I slowly realised that I was one of the team's most senior players.” He celebrated his 300th game with Spain and Europe captivated by his play and well on his way to making history in the Champions League: “Zidane assited me for the 0-1. That victory proved very important.” True excitement did not occur until the end of the season. His goals, including two at the Calderón, contributed decisively to the team's last Primera Liga title to date: “Real Sociedad had the title in their hands, but it slipped through their fingers largely because we did not fail in the important games. Atlético Madrid played the derby thinking they could bust our League title chances, but we were overwhelming, beating them 0-4.”
Raúl proceeded with his career after the arrivals of Beckham, Ronaldo and co. He scored another hat trick on 13 September 2003. “La Liga was just beginning and it is now hard to see that kind of final score.” It marked his 350th game in one of his cursed fields, La Coruña's Riazor: “We don't usually do well there, but everything changes.” His is a bright, shining and record-setting career, brimming with personal challenges that he has overcome thanks to his effort, sacrifice, and talent. He went through hell after his injury against Barcelona, which also put back this anniversary celebration. But, of course, he was able to put another notch in his legend-on-the-making against Atlético Madrid. He summarised it stating, “I want more!”
Interview by José L. Sánchez
Photos by Realmadrid.com
Translation by Luis Orueta
Raúl González: "I feel proud to have played 400 games with the Real Madrid jersey"
Raúl González's football fate seems whimsical. The Captain scored his first goal ever with Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid in his second game in La Liga. This Saturday, he reached an incredible 400 games in the Spanish League precisely against the Spanish capital's archrivals. His debut on 29 October 1994 in La Romareda stadium, which revolutionised Spanish football with his priceless effort and his ease to find the slightest crevice in Zaragoza's defense, seems really far away. His Primera Liga stats are impeccable: 180 strikes, never having been sent off.
Early Memories The fans had to wait until he recovered from his career's worst injury, but the day arrived when Raúl González Blanco added a new record to his service sheet. The Captain nostalgically rememorates the day of his debut: “It was a dream come true. I wanted to play in the Spanish Premier since I was a kid. My memories are very fond; I feel lots of things… including that we lost although I had 4 very clear scoring opportunities.” True, he didn't score in La Romareda. But one week later, in a Bernabéu stadium to full capacity, he put a pass by Laudrup in the top corner of the goalmouth. He could now celebrate his first goal in La Liga “It was thrilling! I ran, started hugging Dani, with whom I shared the pre-match preparation room. I sang, I jumped, I shouted… and then, when I was replaced at the 70-minute mark, I felt something incredible as the Bernabéu gave me a standing ovation.”
During this same 1994-95 season, Raúl contributed -though he did not score- to the White landslide that made Barcelona quiver in early January (5-0): “They had hammered us the prior season. People were just great that whole week, really cheering us on in the old training complex. We really reveled in the experience because it is not everyday that you get a result such as that one.” He raised his first trophy -Primera Liga- that first year in a game against Deportivo thanks to his mentor, Jorge Valdano: “I stepped out and Deportivo tied the match. But then Zamorano scored. I was not a first team fixture at this point of the season, but at 17, I celebrated in style because it had been a while since the last title. It was crazy!” The young number ‘7’ was gaining experience, driving the defenders of Valencia, Deportivo, Sevilla, Athletic, and many other teams mad. He tallied fifty League games precisely in Athletic Bilbao's San Mamés stadium on 24 January 1996. “I remember that strange day. They had just fired Jorge –i.e., Valdano- and I was feeling down. He had given me the opportunity to play in the first team. We won, I scored, but I did not celebrate. I dedicated it to him. It came out spontaneously; I had nothing planned. After that, I realised I was going to have many coaches throughout my career.”
Upsetting the Calderón
His service sheet includes mythical matches, truly unique performances, and gestures to remember. There is no doubt that Real fans have that 18 January 1997 goal in Atlético's Vicente Calderón stadium imprinted in their minds: “It was the season with Fabio Capello. He had just debuted in Spain and my career was really picking up; it was an inflection point. I cored twice, but the goal that marked my career was the one I scored when we were playing one man down... I remember I started running down the Fondo Sur -where the rowdiest fans and sometimes the hooligans stand. It was very daring to run down that area of the stadium and to celebrate my goal so ostentatiously. It is always very important to win a derby.” And so on, until he reached the 100 figure on 7 April 1997 in a non-descript game against Compostela at home: “It was a totally unremarkable day.” However, the return game of the season against the red-and-whites was very important since “I achieved my second League title in a very difficult year. Barcelona had ousted us from the King's Cup and the team was not playing in Europe. I scored that day and we secured another title.” This marked the beginning of the long-awaited path to Real Madrid's seventh top European title.
He scored personal League strikes 50, 51 and 52 against Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu, Valencia in Mestalla, and Sporting Gijón at El Molinón. The first and the latter were two classy and elegant goals. Raúl states that the first “was one of a kind, extremely difficult.” The latter goal was a shot from the corner of the penalty box that went in through the far corner of the goalmouth. He smiles when he rememorates this goal and says,“I saw that Gijón keeper Ablanedo was off his line and I hit the ball with barely two of my toes. I am specially fond of this goal.” It seemed like each personal League anniversary was accompanied by a team loss: in his 150th game against Betis on 4 October 1998, Raúl comments “my contribution –he scored- was to no avail because they won deservedly.” That same season, Raúl scored his first hat trick on 7 February 1999 against Valladolid for a final 3-2 score: “I have very fond memories, like when I got to keep the ball signed by every player in that game. That doesn't happen every day.” These and other strikes helped him get the Top Scorer award, with two goals in the last matchday against Deportivo La Coruña: “It was either Rivaldo or me, and on that last matchday I scored twice for the necessary difference. It was a small revenge after a bad season.”
Silencing the Camp Nou
There was no title in play but Raúl González wanted to increase his legend. He beat Hesp at Barcelona's Camp Nou in a sublime performance on 13 October 1999. He silenced part of the fans after his second goal because “they were shouting things which I didn't quite appreciate. I was furious and I did it spontaneously. It went down in history because of that specific gesture, but I want to underline that I respect Barcelona fans. Still, it is also fair to say that we deserved more than the final draw.”. And so on until he arrived at the 200 League-match mark, which coincided with one of his best scoring streaks –five goals in five games: “It was a sweet moment for me, and it came at the right moment because that year I wasn't doing well in the scoring department. It was our first few months with Vicente del Bosque. I scored my 100th League goal, precisely against Zaragoza.”. That was on 15 April 2000. He scored the winning goal after a penalty kick.
He is not the typical striker, but the Madrid-born can boast two Top Spanish Scorer awards. His second coincided with his 250th game and his third Spanish League title in 2000-01. It was during a “wonderful game at the Bernabéu. I scored two for a grand total of five and the occasion turned out to be just perfect. Then, when I won the Top Scorer award in Valladolid –after scoring another two- I got to partake of then Real Madrid Captain Sanchís's farewell and I slowly realised that I was one of the team's most senior players.” He celebrated his 300th game with Spain and Europe captivated by his play and well on his way to making history in the Champions League: “Zidane assited me for the 0-1. That victory proved very important.” True excitement did not occur until the end of the season. His goals, including two at the Calderón, contributed decisively to the team's last Primera Liga title to date: “Real Sociedad had the title in their hands, but it slipped through their fingers largely because we did not fail in the important games. Atlético Madrid played the derby thinking they could bust our League title chances, but we were overwhelming, beating them 0-4.”
Raúl proceeded with his career after the arrivals of Beckham, Ronaldo and co. He scored another hat trick on 13 September 2003. “La Liga was just beginning and it is now hard to see that kind of final score.” It marked his 350th game in one of his cursed fields, La Coruña's Riazor: “We don't usually do well there, but everything changes.” His is a bright, shining and record-setting career, brimming with personal challenges that he has overcome thanks to his effort, sacrifice, and talent. He went through hell after his injury against Barcelona, which also put back this anniversary celebration. But, of course, he was able to put another notch in his legend-on-the-making against Atlético Madrid. He summarised it stating, “I want more!”
Interview by José L. Sánchez
Photos by Realmadrid.com
Translation by Luis Orueta
1977
被折叠的 条评论
为什么被折叠?
到【灌水乐园】发言
