Raul joins 500 club

Real Madrid icon Raul notched up his 500th league appearance for the club in Sunday's 3-0 win over Real Mallorca for another personal landmark in a career spanning 14 years.Raul was on target scoring Real's second goal and his match tally means he is just 24 games short of the club record held by former team-mate Manuel Sanchis. At 31,Juventus shirt, Raul becomes the youngest player to reach 500 league games and sits in sixth position in the standings.However, the former Spain international has his work cut out to reach the summit with former Barcelona and Spain goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta the all-time record holder with 622 matches. "I've given 14 years of my life to this badge and I'm still hungry," Raul told daily AS. "Nothing could be better for a player than to spend his entire professional life at a club like Real Madrid."I still remember my debut against (Real) Zaragoza (back in October 1994) I will never forget my first goal at the Bernabeu in a derby and, above all,C.Ronaldo New Boots 2012, I will never forget the six league titles I've won. People should realise how hard it is to win a league title now that we are suffering. Imagine what it is like to win six."Real are 12 points behind Barcelona in the title race after the league leaders defeated Osasuna 3-2 on Sunday but Raul still believes a third successive league crown is possible. "It is still too soon to be so categorical," explained Raul. "Barcelona are playing very well, but we managed to win the league against all odds two years ago."Two seasons ago Barcelona looked all set to claim the title, but under wily Italian coach Fabio Capello, Real came from behind to snatch the championship from their grasp courtesy of a superior head-to-head record.New coach Juande Ramos has inspired Real to three consecutive wins and saluted his skipper Raul backing him to go on and break more records. "I don't remember where I was the day he made his debut,Italy Euro 2012 Shirts, but I know he played against Zaragoza," said Ramos. "I believe he will break more records as long as he continues to be excited about playing and doesn't get injured."Raul is the all-time leading scorer in the Champions League with 64 goals, Spain's leading scorer with 44 goals and is just two goals from equalling Alfredo di Stefano's record of 307 goals for Real.