Last update 13 September, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
Real Madrid was crowned champion of the Intercontinental Cup by beating Vasco da Gama 2-1 in the final held in Tokyo on 1 from December to 1998. But what made that victory historic was Raúl González's impressive goal, known as the “the goal aguanís“. This goal was much more than a simple play; represented the consolidation of Raúl as a football legend.
Why 'The goal of Aguanís'?
The term “the goal aguanís” has its roots in Raúl's childhood. In fact, already as a child, he had perfected that play that earned him the nickname. His teammates and the parents of the players at San Cristóbal, team where he played in his youth, They baptized it as 'Aguanís'. “It was a play that Raúl made when he was a child. He played for San Cristóbal and when things went bad in the games, His teammates yelled at him to do it.”, his father remembered after the goal and the peculiar ending became famous.
And it was precisely that maneuver that rescued him in the final against Vasco da Gama. With a double cut that literally left two defenders sitting, among them the ex-Madridista Vitor, one of the worst signings in the history of Real Madrid, Raúl stood in front of goalkeeper Carlos Germano and finished with mastery to seal the merengue victory.
with just 21 years, Raúl was already established as the great star of Real Madrid, and that goal was his letter of introduction to the whole world. What began as a play on the grassroots soccer fields, ended up becoming an emblem of his greatness.
A spectacular career as a Madrid player
Raúl finished his career with 323 goals wearing the white shirt, which made him one of the top scorers in the history of Real Madrid. But among all of them, the most iconic, the one most remembered by Real Madrid fans even 20 years later, is still the goal of the “Aguanis”. A masterpiece that elevated him to the altars of Real Madrid fans, and that continues to evoke pride in those who saw it shine.
This was Aguanís' goal
