Raul #7

Raul Gonzalez. A name known in an instant by football fans all over the globe, but one which has become perhaps less celebrated over the past few years, until now. After being the catalyst for Shalke 04's unlikely adventure to the semi finals of the champions league, Raul's name is once again on the lips of every football fan in Europe, as was witnessed at White Hart Lane when the Real Madrid fans took time out from supporting their own side to sing their hero's name once more.

The question is, why was he written off to such an extent in the first place?

At the age of 33, there is no question that Raul is at least at the beginning of the end of his career. Last season, he scored 7 goals in 39 games for Real Madrid, which led many to write him off. In the season previous, he had scored 24 goals in 47 games. Written off after one mediocre season where he often found himself on the bench.

There is a tendancy to write off many world class player's once they reach the age of 30, simply because it is assumed they will never scale the heights which they did at the peak of their speed and fitness. However, players like Raul never relied on their speed. They rely on their craft and their skill, two attributes which will never fade. And as can be seen from his recent performances, Raul has kept himself in top shape. Fan's in Spain had written him off too, apart from his loyal Real Madrid following. After 44 goals in 102 international appearances, Raul was cast into the international wilderness following a 3-2 loss to Northern Ireland. Who can fairly say that the likes of Fernando Torres are currently more deserving of a place in the national side than Raul?

I think as football progresses, players will be able to have longer career's than ever before, whereas general opinion seems to be that once a player is over 30, they can begin to be written off. Raul and Ryan Giggs in particular are a testament to the fact that keeping yourself in good shape and being able to adapt your style of play as you get older (particularly in the case of Giggs) means you can prolong your career and still have a telling impact at the top level. Part of the reason that people are of the opinion that players begin to wind down over the age of 30 are from seeing it happen to the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Michael Ballack. The key difference between those players and Raul is fitness. Raul is extremely fit and has also been lucky with injuries. Ronaldo and Ronaldinho let themselves go which had a direct affect on their performances and confidence, whereas Michael Ballack has struggled greatly with injuries, which shows that luck also comes into play in regards to the length of a professional footballers career.

Now the two old heads, Raul and Ryan Giggs, will face off once more in the Champions League semi-final, and at this stage, they are as accustomed to seeing each other as they are to playing on such a stage. Which player will have the bigger impact over the two legged semi final? Every football fan in Europe is waiting with baited breath to see, but one thing is for certain, they will be a joy to watch.

Raul Gonazalez is certainly a testament to the saying, ''form is temporary, class is permanent.''