Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández was born on the 20th of May 1981 in Móstoles, a town in the province of Madrid. His father José Luis worked as a civil servant for the Ministry of Education while his mother María del Carmen Fernández González worked as a hairdresser. Both parents had moved from their home village of Navalacruz in Ávila to settle in this new location. The family connection to the Basque region influenced the names given to Iker and his younger brother Unai. Their paternal grandfather served as an officer in the Civil Guard and was posted to Bilbao where he eventually settled. This background shaped the early years of the future goalkeeper before the family relocated back to Madrid.
A specific moment from his childhood illustrates the stakes involved in football even at that young age. When Iker was seven or eight years old, he forgot to post his father's football predictions for the weekend. His father had correctly predicted all fifteen results but the family lost out on an estimated €1.2 million because of the oversight. This incident highlights how deeply football permeated their household life long before Iker ever stepped onto a professional pitch. He began playing in Real Madrid's youth system known as La Fábrica during the 1990, 91 season. By November 1997 at just sixteen years old he received his first call-up to the senior squad to face Rosenborg in the UEFA Champions League though he remained on the bench throughout that match.
Casillas became the youngest goalkeeper to play in and win a Champions League final when Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3, 0 in May 2000. He achieved this feat at nineteen years and four days old which set a record for goalkeepers at the time. The club awarded him and captain Raúl contracts for life on the 14th of February 2008 after a fruitful season where they reclaimed their thirty-first La Liga title. During his tenure at Real Madrid he won five La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies among other major honors. He surpassed Paco Buyo's record of 454 matches played for a goalkeeper by February 2009 to become the most-capped goalkeeper in the club's history.
His relationship with the club faced turbulence during the 2012, 13 season when manager José Mourinho dropped him for a Liga match against Málaga in favor of Antonio Adán. This decision sparked disagreements between the Portuguese coach and the player that were allegedly aired to the press by Casillas himself. Fans began calling him topor a portmanteau of mole and goalkeeper reflecting the shift in opinion among certain sectors of supporters. Despite these challenges Carlo Ancelotti returned him to the starting lineup for the 2013, 14 season. He captained Madrid in the Champions League final on the 24th of May 2014 winning the title for the third time in his career with a 4, 1 victory over Atlético Madrid in Lisbon.
Casillas earned his nickname San Iker or Saint Iker due to his precocious performances as a youngster and his ability to produce acrobatic saves. His international debut came at nineteen years and fourteen days old against Sweden on the 3rd of June 2000. At the 2002 World Cup he became first-choice when Santiago Cañizares withdrew from the tournament due to injury. He played an instrumental role in Spain's progression by saving penalties in regulation time and two more during the 3, 2 shoot-out victory against the Republic of Ireland. One of his saves during the quarter-final against co-hosts South Korea was rated by FIFA as one of the top ten saves of all time.
In 2008 he was given the captain's armband after Raúl was excluded from the squad for Euro 2008. Casillas saved two penalties from Antonio Di Natale and Daniele De Rossi as Spain eliminated Italy in the quarter-finals. On the 29th of June 2008 he became the first goalkeeper-captain to lift the UEFA European Championship trophy when Spain beat Germany in the final. Four years later he captained Spain to their first ever World Cup title with a 1, 0 win against the Netherlands in extra-time on the 11th of July 2010. He kept a joint-record five clean sheets during that tournament earning him the Golden Glove award.
After twenty-five years with Real Madrid Casillas joined FC Porto on the 11th of July 2015 on a free transfer. The club's conduct regarding his exit was criticized by fans and former teammates who claimed president Florentino Pérez forced him out. At Porto he broke records including becoming the player with the most appearances in the Champions League with 177 matches. He also surpassed Edwin van der Sar's record for the most clean sheets in Champions League history keeping his fifty-first clean sheet in a 2, 0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv on the 20th of October 2015.
His career ended abruptly following a medical emergency during training. On the 1st of May 2019 Casillas suffered an acute myocardial infarction or heart attack during a morning session at the club's training ground. He was rushed to hospital where his situation was stabilized before being discharged on May 6th. Although he returned for pre-season training in July 2019 and resumed workouts in November 2019 he ultimately announced his retirement from professional football on the 4th of August 2020. The sudden cardiac event cut short what had been a historic tenure at Porto.
Casillas was widely considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time due to his outstanding agility reflexes consistency and shot-stopping abilities. Gianluigi Buffon described him as the best goalkeeper of his era with his hands while Manuel Almunia likened him to compatriot Luis Arconada for his quick reactions and movement. His playing style included strong footwork positioning between the posts concentration and speed when rushing off his line in one-on-one situations. He also stood out for his penalty-saving abilities throughout his career.
Critics noted that despite his reputation he struggled to command his area against aerial threats due to his lack of notable height and strong physical attributes. Some pundits criticized his unsteady handling and indecisiveness when coming out to claim crosses since he often preferred to punch the ball away. In his later years he lost some speed and mobility due to physical decline which led to criticism regarding errors and less consistent performances. Nevertheless his distribution with both hands and feet remained generally reliable allowing him to send the ball into deep areas of the pitch with long throws and kicks using his left foot.
In 2008 Casillas placed fourth overall in the Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi and Fernando Torres. That same year he was named the world's best goalkeeper by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics or IFFHS. He won the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award five consecutive times from 2007 to 2012 a record for any goalkeeper. He was also selected in the FIFPro World XI five times for a goalkeeper setting another record. Casillas was named as the second-best goalkeeper of the 21st century behind Gigi Buffon and the second-best goalkeeper of the past twenty-five years by the same organization.
His individual accolades included the FIFA World Cup Golden Glove awarded in 2010 after keeping five clean sheets during the tournament. He received the UEFA Team of the Year six consecutive times from 2007 to 2012 and was part of the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament in both 2008 and 2012. In 2016 France Football named him the fourth greatest goalkeeper in history. These honors cemented his status among peers and pundits alike.
Casillas transitioned into media commentary working for RTVE Movistar Plus+ and Azteca Deportes following his retirement. Between 2009 and 2021 he was in a relationship with sports journalist Sara Carbonero whom he married on the 20th of March 2016. Their first son Martín was born on the 3rd of January 2014 while their second son Lucas arrived on the 2nd of June 2016. On the 1st of May 2019 when Casillas suffered his heart attack his wife later announced she was suffering from cancer though they separated in March 2021.
He has maintained a strong charitable presence through the Fundación Iker Casillas which supports various causes. In 2011 he was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme's Millennium Development Goals. A street in Móstoles was renamed Avenida de Iker Casillas in his honor in 2013. He also confirmed his intention to stand as a candidate in the RFEF presidential elections on the 17th of February 2020 ensuring his legacy extends beyond the field of play.
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Common questions
When and where was Iker Casillas born?
Iker Casillas Fernández was born on the 20th of May 1981 in Móstoles, a town in the province of Madrid. His parents José Luis and María del Carmen Fernández González moved from Navalacruz in Ávila to settle there.
What record did Iker Casillas set playing for Real Madrid?
Iker Casillas became the youngest goalkeeper to play in and win a Champions League final when Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3, 0 in May 2000 at nineteen years and four days old. He surpassed Paco Buyo's record of 454 matches played by February 2009 to become the most-capped goalkeeper in the club's history.
How many times did Iker Casillas win the UEFA European Championship?
Iker Casillas won the UEFA European Championship once as captain when Spain beat Germany in the final on the 29th of June 2008. He also captained Spain to their first ever World Cup title with a 1, 0 win against the Netherlands on the 11th of July 2010.
Why did Iker Casillas retire from professional football?
Iker Casillas retired from professional football after suffering an acute myocardial infarction or heart attack during training on the 1st of May 2019. He announced his retirement from professional football on the 4th of August 2020 following this medical emergency.
What awards did Iker Casillas receive for his goalkeeping career?
Iker Casillas won the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award five consecutive times from 2007 to 2012 and received the FIFA World Cup Golden Glove in 2010. France Football named him the fourth greatest goalkeeper in history in 2016 while he was selected in the FIFPro World XI five times.