Raúl was 33 when he left
Real Madrid for Schalke but he had not lost his competitive streak or his goalscoring touch
By Jason Humphreys for Englische Woche
In the closing minutes of Schalke’s pre-season friendly against Qatari club Al Sadd, a 13-year-old boy held up the fourth official’s board. On it was an illuminated number seven. As is tradition in
Germany, the stadium announcer proclaimed the substitution by saying the number and allowing the fans to chant the name of the player. The crowd duly obliged and the name “Rauuuul” rung around the ground. The 36-year-old left the field, saluted the crowd and embraced the young boy on the sideline – his eldest son, Jorge.
This was Raúl’s last game for Schalke, played against the team he had agreed to join next. He played a half for each team, scoring two goals against his new employers in the process. This was his final farewell to a club that had taken him to their hearts, and one that had found a place in his.