Raul doesn´t want “artificial” call-up for gala match

Real Madrid veteran striker Raul does not want to be called up for a November friendly against Argentina to mark the Spanish Federation’s centenary as he perceives it would comprise an “artificial” homage to him, AS sports daily said Tuesday.

Raul did not make the squad for last summer’s Euro 2008 triumph and has not featured for the “Furia roja” for the past two seasons despite a return to form at club level which last week saw him become his club’s all-time top scorer with 309 league goals.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) was seeking to call him up for the centenary at Real’s Bernabeu stadium in recognition of his exploits – he is also Spain’s all-time top scorer with 44 goal – but AS indicated the 31-year-old player was not keen if it meant a one-off “artificial homage”.

Vicente del Bosque has not called Raul back in to the squad for World Cup qualifiers this season despite his good form and despite the fact that the coach enjoyed great success with Raul in Madrid with two Champions League amd two domestic titles between 1999 and 2003.

“He (Raul) does not want to beg, he does not want homages. He just wants to be called up on merit,” the player’s agent Gines Carvajal said.