Now in his 18th year as a professional soccer player, Nacho Novo has lined up alongside and across from the best competitors of his era, but the one person he’s always wanted face is the one with which he’s never shared the pitch: Raúl. That could finally happen this weekend in – of all places – Cary, North Carolina.

The 37-year-old Raúl and his New York Cosmos visit the 36-year-old Novo’s Carolina RailHawks this Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park. The meeting of these two Spanish strikers, both now in the twilight of their playing careers, is the curious intersection of long, illustrious careers in European football.

“As soon as he comes, I’ll go straight to him and we’ll talk,” Novo said.

The renown of Raúl González Blanco is deep and deserved. Over Raúl’s 16-year career with Real Madrid from 1994-2010, he became the club's all-time top goalscorer with 323 total goals and the fourth highest goalscorer in the history of La Liga. He is the third highest goalscorer in European Champions League history, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He appeared in three FIFA World Cups and two European championships for Spain, and his 44 goals in 102 appearances for the Spanish national team is the second-most all-time.

“He’s one of the best Spanish players ever, with his record and how clever he is,” Novo observed. “He’s someone I just used to enjoy watching play. The finishes he makes, his movements - he’s a top player. And it’s going to be nice for everybody to watch him play over here in the states.”

Meanwhile, Novo’s odyssey took a more circuitous path. Born Ignacio Javier Gómez Novo,”Nacho” grew up in Ferrol, Spain, which he calls a “wee town” along the country’s northwest Atlantic coast known mainly as a shipping stronghold and the birthplace of Francisco Franco. Novo’s father, Ricardo Gómez Varela, was a defender with Real Betis in La Liga before a knee injury cut short his playing career. His mother was a handball professional and his younger sister, Arantxa Novo, plays pro basketball in Spain.

After spending several years languishing in the lower levels of Spanish soccer, Novo decided to leave his homeland in 2001 to pursue an opportunity in Scotland.

“Sometimes people from home don’t value other homegrown people,” Novo said. “But when you go to another country, they value you more. That’s what happened to me – I went to Scotland and did lots of good things… It’s the best thing I ever did.”

Novo played first with Raith Rovers and then Dundee, where he notched 34 goals in two seasons. In 2004, Novo signed with Rangers F.C., where he would spend the next six seasons with the venerable Scottish powerhouse.

Rangers won three Scottish Premier League titles and advanced to the final of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup during Novo’s stint with the club. Novo scored 73 goals in all competitions for Rangers, and last year he was elected to the Rangers Hall of Fame.

In 2010, Novo finally realized his goal of playing in La Liga when he joined Sporting de Gijón for two star-crossed seasons. That November, Sporting hosted Real Madrid, and Novo faced off against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Xabi Alonso, Mesut Özil and Ángel Di María. In April 2011, Novo and Sporting visited the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid’s home ground, and registered a shock win that ended manager Jose Mourinho’s 150-match undefeated home streak.

However, that was the season after Raúl left Real Madrid for Schalke, and it appeared Novo had missed the best chance to finally compete with his acclaimed countryman.

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Novo already rekindled a couple of old acquaintances last September when Marcos Senna, Ayoze García and the Cosmos came to Cary and suffered a 5-4 loss to the home ‘Hawks. Novo and fellow Spaniard Ayoze were teammates at Sporting de Gijón, while Senna’s Villarreal eliminated Novo’s Rangers in the knockout stage of the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League.

During Raúl’s reign at Real Madrid, the club won the European Champions League three times. Eight years ago in the group stage of the 2007-08 European Champions League, Novo and Rangers drew nil-nil with a Barcelona starting XI that included Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández and a 20-year-old Lionel Messi.

This Saturday, the stakes are far different for Raúl and Nacho Novo. But fate appears to have finally brought these old footballers together in the most unlikely setting.