By DPA
Madrid : The debate has been going on for a year now and will continue for some time yet. Indeed, it will probably continue until Raul Gonzalez Blanco finally hangs up his boots.
This debate – should Raul be brought back into the national team or not – continues to divide Spain down the middle, at the same time as casting a long shadow over the national team.
On Saturday, during an encounter with Latvia in Riga, Spain didn't field their all-time top scorer, despite fellow forwards Fernando Morientes and Fernando Torres both being injured.
Instead of recalling Raul to replace these injury victims, veteran Spain coach Luis Aragones opted for untried youngsters Luis Garcia of Espanyol (not to be confused with the Liverpool player of the same name, another injury victim) and Roberto Soldado.
Madrid sports papers AS and Marca are furious at Aragones for again overlooking Raul, who last wore the red of Spain for the 102nd time in September.
An online opinion poll taken by AS shows, on Friday, that 81 percent of readers think Raul – who turns 30 June 27 – should be brought back into "La Seleccion".
Most players cannot believe that Raul has not yet been recalled. The latest of them to express this opinion was Guti, Raul's teammate at Real Madrid since 1994.
On Thursday night Guti, never one to bite his tongue, told television channel Antena 3 that it was "a disgrace" that Aragones continued to overlook Raul.
Aragones has frequently said he would reconsider Raul when his form improved. But this is exactly what has happened recently, with Raul's seven goals helping Real's title challenge.
Raul is third in the all-time list of Spanish caps – with 102 – and top of the scorers' chart with 44 goals. He holds the record for being the youngest-ever player to wear the famous white of Real and made his Spain debut just two years later.
He was the leader of the Spanish attack at the 1998 and 2002 World Cup finals, as well as at Euro 200 and 2004.
Aragones had the chance to sideline Raul a year ago, just before the 2006 World Cup finals. Raul had missed most of the season with a nasty knee injury and there would have been little fuss had he missed out on the Germany trip.
Instead Aragones included him in the squad, only to leave him on the bench in the first two games. He brought him off the bench against Tunisia and Raul straight away showed that old poacher touch, making it 1-1.