Madrid  - Real Madrid star Raul hinted on Tuesday, in an interview with sports daily Marca, that he might retire in 2011.

Raul, in excellent form at the age of 31, told Marca that "you want to go when you are at the top, but when you see yourself so well you say 'why am I going to go now?'".

He pointed out that his contract runs until June 2011, "and I am

going to respect that."

The Real captain said that he will study the situation in January 2011. "That will be the moment to see how I am and to take the final decision."

Raul hinted that he might be interested in winding down his career in a less demanding league. "I could try to play for a year or so in the United States, in order to live abroad."

Last year Real offered Raul and fellow veteran Guti "contracts for life", promising an unspecified job at the club after hanging up their boots.

Raul told Marca that he would "love to" return to the Spanish national team, for which he has not been chosen since 2006.

But he pointed out that he was not "begging" for a call-up, and that the idea - mooted by the Spanish federation last week - to give him a testimonial match would be "a lack of respect, since I am still an active player."

The idea of the federation was to make November's friendly against Argentina, organized to celebrate the federation's centenary, also a homage to Raul.

Raul played 102 times for Spain between 1996 and 2006 - he is second only to goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta for international appearances - scoring 44 goals in the process.

10 days ago he broke Alfredo Di Stefano's record of 307 goals for Real. He is in vintage form at the moment and will be first choice on Wednesday at home to Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16.

Raul holds the goalscoring record in the Champions League, established in 1992, with 64 goals. He has helped Real to win the trophy three times - in 1998, 2000 and 2002 - and scored crucial goals in the 2000 and 2002 finals. dpa