That Christmas, police stopped him in his Mercedes SL 500 and proved it was a stolen car without him having the necessary documentation, but he was waived of responsibility and the blame was pinned on a dealer in Gandia. Unfortunately for him, the lasting image of that tournament was of him leaving the camp in flip flops.ĭuring 2004 his problems with law and order surfaced. It was because of these factors that he started for Spain in the 2004 European Championship, but Cristiano Ronaldo terrorised him and La Roja went home. It has been said that perhaps his friendship with David Beckham helped him to play more than he should have, but the reality is that Raul Bravo was admired by many of his coaches because of his pride and attitude.
That season was his best and he managed to accumulate 52 games, finding himself as a fixed member of the starting XI, much to the bemusement of those upstairs at the club. In 2003/04 he rose to prominence under Carlos Queiroz though and became a key player.
He performed well in his first game, though the Bernabeu soon noticed his limitations in possession. He arrived at Madrid aged 16 from Gandia before debuting in 2001 against Athletic Club with the task of muting Joseba Etxeberria. Raul Bravo was an important squad player under Vicente del Bosque during Real Madrid's Galacticos era, providing the coach with a powerful and quick 'Plan B' and in his time at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu he won two LaLiga Santanders and one Champions League, among some others.
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