Position: Forward
Born: 09.03.77
Club: Real Madrid

Spain's leading goalscorer and perhaps their greatest player in history, Raul is a centre-forward who has just about everything.

A Real Madrid legend despite still being a year short of his 30th birthday, the sharp-shooter remains the talisman of the Spanish strikeforce despite youngster Fernando Torres having outscored him in the qualifying campaign.

A teenage Raul exploded on to the domestic scene in Spain during Real's 1995/96 campaign and was voted Player of the Year the very next season after scoring 21 goals in 42 games.

His superb strike against Nigeria in the 1998 World Cup signalled his arrival on the world stage and he chipped in with another three goals at this level four years ago.

In between, he had continued to fire in an avalanche of net-busters for Real, and his personal roll of honour now includes no less than 20 personal and team milestones.

Three Champions League titles and four domestic league wins headline his achievements, but he has also finished third in the running for the World Player of the Year (2001) and topped the La Liga goalscoring standings twice.

Predominantly left-footed, Raul Gonzalez Blanco - to give him his full name - has a deft touch and a lethal finish that makes him a huge threat to even the tightest of defences.

A one-club man so far, it is almost unthinkable to imagine him ever being allowed to leave the Bernabeu although his place in the first team is no longer assured given Real's riches.

Yet despite his standing in the game and raft of achievements to date, one thing is missing - success with perennial underachievers Spain. Could this be the year?