Publicly, no one at Schalke 04 is confirming the stories, but if the rumors are to be believed, Raúl is being seriously considered as the successor to Kees van Wonderen after this season in Gelsenkirchen. In recent weeks, there has reportedly been renewed contact between both parties.
The name Raúl González Blanco still carries a special weight in Gelsenkirchen. More than a decade after his departure, Schalke 04 fans have never forgotten the magic the Spanish icon brought to the Veltins Arena between 2010 and 2012.
Earlier this week, Bild reignited that sense of nostalgia by reporting that Raúl is once again being seriously considered as a candidate to become Schalke’s next head coach. What started as mere speculation has quickly turned into one of the hottest talking points surrounding the club.
Raúl’s reputation at Schalke remains pristine. His arrival in 2010, after his legendary spell at Real Madrid, was seen as a major coup for the German club. During his two seasons in Gelsenkirchen, Raúl dazzled fans with moments of pure class, scoring 40 goals across all competitions and playing a pivotal role in Schalke’s run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2011. Even after his departure, Raúl’s connection to the club endured. His image still adorns fan banners, and his name is regularly sung by the most passionate supporters in the Nordkurve. That deep emotional bond is part of what makes his potential return so appealing to Schalke fans desperate for a sense of direction and hope.
Since hanging up his boots, Raúl has taken a deliberate and patient path into coaching. For the past six years, he has been in charge of Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s second team, working closely with some of the brightest talents emerging from La Fábrica. His coaching style, heavily influenced by his years under Vicente del Bosque, José Mourinho, and Manuel Pellegrini, is said to blend tactical discipline with a strong emphasis on fostering a winning mentality. This approach has earned him respect within Real Madrid’s hierarchy, but Raúl has never hidden his ambition to eventually become a head coach at senior level and Schalke might just be the perfect place to take that next step.
According to Bild, this isn’t the first time Schalke have considered bringing Raúl back in a coaching role. The report claims that Schalke’s leadership already approached him at the end of last season, when then-manager Karel Geraerts was under mounting pressure following a disappointing campaign. At the time, Schalke’s situation was chaotic, both on and off the pitch, and the club was drifting dangerously close to relegation from the 2. Bundesliga. However, Raúl reportedly turned down the opportunity to take over immediately, unwilling to step into a crisis mid-season. Schalke eventually appointed Kees van Wonderen in September, hoping the Dutch coach could stabilize the ship.
But stability has remained elusive. Schalke’s performances this season have been erratic at best. The team sits worryingly close to the relegation zone, and any hopes of an immediate return to the Bundesliga have long since faded. Frustration among fans is palpable, and the sense of drift has only intensified. It’s against this backdrop that the rumors surrounding Raúl’s potential return have resurfaced just as Schalke prepares for a crucial match against Hertha BSC, scheduled for Saturday, March 8, at 13:00.
For many Schalke supporters, the thought of Raúl returning is about much more than tactics or results. It’s about identity. Schalke’s struggles in recent years have not only been sporting they’ve also been existential. The club has lost its sense of purpose and direction, lurching from one managerial change to the next with no clear long-term vision. Bringing back a figure like Raúl, who understands the club’s culture and has experienced both its highs and lows, would represent a symbolic reset a return to values that once made Schalke a force in German and European football.
Still, not everyone within the club is eager to embrace the speculation. Sporting director Ben Manga has publicly insisted that no decision has been made regarding Van Wonderen’s future. "We chose Kees with full confidence back in October, and we want to continue with him," Manga told Bild when pressed on the matter. "Of course, we are not happy with the team’s progress, but that process takes time. We are happy with Kees, and we want to build something stable."
Van Wonderen himself addressed the swirling rumors during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Hertha game, adopting a calm and measured tone. "That’s not something I’m thinking about," he said. "My focus is entirely on the matches and on the things I can control. I’m in daily contact with Ben Manga and Youri Mulder, and I’m satisfied with the way we’re working together."
But in football, public statements often tell only part of the story. Behind the scenes, the appeal of bringing Raúl back to the Veltins Arena may be too strong for Schalke’s leadership to resist. The club’s hierarchy, led by Manga and chairman Matthias Tillmann, has reportedly resumed contact with Raúl’s representatives in recent weeks, exploring the possibility of appointing him at the end of the season provided Van Wonderen does not turn things around.
It’s a delicate balancing act. Schalke needs stability, but they also need inspiration. Van Wonderen’s pragmatic approach has failed to capture the imagination of the fans, and results have been inconsistent. Raúl, on the other hand, offers both a tactical mind and a romantic story the return of a legend who understands what Schalke means to its people. It’s a narrative almost too perfect to ignore.
Whether or not Raúl eventually takes the job, his name alone has reignited a spark of excitement among Schalke fans, who have endured far more disappointment than joy in recent years. For a club desperately seeking both results and identity, the return of Raúl could be the dream combination a symbol of the past guiding the path to the future.
For now, all eyes are on Hertha BSC this Saturday. But in Gelsenkirchen, the shadow of Raúl looms large, and the possibility of his second coming continues to dominate every conversation around the Veltins Arena.
