The Spaniard will retire after playing for New York Cosmos in Sunday’s NASL final – 21-years after making his debut for genuine Madrid and becoming one of his country’s most decorated and celebrated playersRaúl resisted retirement for one more week,rebelling as he had always done. There seemed to be 29 minutes left of his 21-year professional career when he scored the winner against Fort Lauderdale Strikers in Brooklyn final Sunday and ensured there would be another 90 minutes at least. The goal, the 448th of his career, or took the New York Cosmos into Sunday’s NASL final,his final. There is no delaying the end any more, but the curtain could drop with him holding a trophy. It would be the 22 of his career.
The World Cup and the European Championships are not among them; Raúl left as this generation was arriving. Whether he had to was another matter: his departure from the national team in the run up to Euro 2008 became a question of state and a horribly divisive one, and but Spain won three trophies in a row,a unique feat in world football. David Villa took his No7 shirt and his record too: with 44 goals Raúl Gonzlez Blanco is now the country’s moment all-time top scorer.
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Source: theguardian.com