Raúl

Youth clubs

Raúl's career began at his local team CD San Cristóbal de los Ángeles playing for their Alevín team and the Infantil the next season. He signed with Atlético Madrid's Infantil team and won a national title with the Cadete team the following season. Following Atlético's then-president Jesús Gil decision to close their youth academy as a cost-saving measure, Raúl moved on to Real Madrid's Cadete team in La Fábrica. The following season, he was promoted to the Juvenil C team and subsequently went on to play for their Juvenil B and Juvenil A team. While with the Real youth set-up, Raúl won the Dallas Cup in 1993 and 1994.

Real Madrid

He first started his professional career in the 1994–95 season with Real Madrid C. He scored 16 goals in just nine games (including five in one match against CD Corralejo) and was swiftly promoted to the first team by coach Jorge Valdano, replacing Emilio Butragueño in a symbolic "passing of the crown". He became the youngest player – 17 years and 124 days – ever to play for the senior side, though the record was broken by Alberto Rivera later that same season. On 29 October 1994, in an away game against Real Zaragoza at La Romareda, he created a goal for strike partner Iván Zamorano, heralding the demise of Butragueño in the process. The next week, Raúl scored his first goal in his second senior game on a home debut against Madrid rivals and former youth club Atlético Madrid in a bitter derby match. Fully establishing…

Raúl began his Spain career at the youth level and represented the nation at the 1995 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring three goals from five matches. He was also part of the under-21 side that reached the final of the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, and even scored his side's temporary equaliser in the final, although he later missed his penalty in the resulting shoot-out, which was won by Italy. In total, he scored 17 goals at the various youth levels for Spain. With the senior team, Raúl went on for many years to score a national record 44 goals in 102 caps for Spain. However, David Villa later equalled Raúl's record in 2010 and surpassed it on 25 March 2011 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier. Of his 44 international goals, Raúl scored 32 goals in competitive matches, six of which were in the finals of major tournaments. He is regarded as one of his nation's greatest ever players.

1998 FIFA World Cup

On 9 October 1996, Raúl debuted for the Spanish senior squad against the Czech Republic, playing 90 minutes of a goalless 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification draw at the Letná Stadion in Prague. In his third match on 14 December against FR Yugoslavia at the Mestalla Stadium, he recorded his first international goal in a 2–0 qualifying victory. At the final tournament in France, Raúl featured in every match as Spain were eliminated from Group D. He scored in their opening match to put them 2–1 up in an eventual 2–3 loss to Nigeria in Nantes.

UEFA Euro 2000…

Real Madrid U15s

On 17 August 2018, Raúl was appointed youth coach at Real Madrid, taking charge of the Cadete B (under-15) squad.

Real Madrid Castilla

On 20 June 2019, he was appointed manager of Real Madrid Castilla. His debut on 25 August was a 1–1 draw at Las Rozas in Segunda División B. Raúl's team made the promotion playoffs in 2021, losing to the seeded Ibiza after a goalless draw in the semi-finals. He then talked down rumours that he would replace his former teammate Zinedine Zidane as first-team manager. Two years later, Castilla again made the playoffs, in the new Primera Federación. The final against Eldense went to extra time and a 3–3 draw in the second leg, with the team from the Valencian Community winning promotion due to a better regular season finish. Raúl's press conference after the game was cancelled for security reasons due to an invasion of the pitch and facilities by celebrating fans of the home team. In 2024–25, Castilla were in the relegation zone at the turn of the year, but ended the season near the promotion playoffs. Raúl announced his exit, having been overlooked for the first-team job that went to Xabi Alonso; he was succeeded at Castilla by Álvaro Arbeloa.

Raúl married Mamen Sanz in 1999 and the couple have five children: Jorge, Hugo, Héctor, Mateo, and María. Jorge and Hugo were both playing football in New York in 2016; Jorge at Fordham Preparatory School, and Hugo in New York City FC's academy. In 2022, his daughter Maria was signed by Real Madrid's U15 football team.