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15th Oct 2015

Real Madrid legend announces his retirement from football

The end of an era

Kevin Beirne

Former Real Madrid forward Raul has called time on his professional career.

The Spanish striker will retire at the end of the current North American Soccer League – where he plays for New York Cosmos – in November.

Raul spent 16 years at Real Madrid, winning three Champions Leagues and six La Ligas. Strangely, despite playing in two finals, he never managed to win the Copa del Rey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p74trcWCluo

Before moving to Schalke in 2010, he became Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer with 323 goals in 741 games, although Cristiano Ronaldo has since passed him out.

Alongside Iker Casillas, he was one of the few Spaniards to survive the Galacticos era in which he played with the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and the original Ronaldo.

MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 14: Real Madrid's Brazilian player Ronaldo celebrates with England?s David Beckham, left, and Raul Gonzalez after scoring a goal in a Primera Liga soccer match against Albacete on November 14, 2004 at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)