Former Real Madrid striker Raul has officially stepped into his first senior club management position after being named the new manager of Spanish second division club Real Oviedo. The 49-year-old has committed his future to the side by putting pen to paper on a contract that runs until June 2028.
Raul arrives at the club to take over from Julian Calero, who was dismissed from his post on Monday. Following the departure of their previous boss, Real Oviedo find themselves sitting in ninth place in Spain's second tier. The appointment marks a major step forward for Raul, who previously developed his tactical expertise on the touchline by coaching Real Madrid's reserves from 2019 to 2025.
Setting out his sporting philosophy, the new head coach demanded complete commitment from his players in a video posted to Oviedo's social media channels. "My way of understanding football is with respecting the talent [in the squad] but asking for unconditional effort," Raul said. "The team has to fight from the first minute to the last for victory so the fans are proud of them."
The newly appointed manager enters the role backed by an illustrious playing career at the highest level of European football. A legendary figure at the Bernabeu, Raul scored 323 goals across 741 matches for Real Madrid, collecting six La Liga titles and winning the Champions League three times. On the international scene, he registered 44 goals in 102 appearances for Spain, before concluding his playing days with stints at Germany's Schalke, Qatari team Al Sadd, and American outfit New York Cosmos.
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