Former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas announces retirement from professional football . Popularly known as “ San Iker ” (“Saint Iker”) for his ability to produce spectacular saves, Casillas is widely regarded to be one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, and by some fans, as the greatest ever. He is known for his athleticism, quick reactions and outstanding shot-stopping ability. Having spent the majority of his career at Real Madrid , Casillas is one of the few players to achieve over 1000 professional career matches and holds the record for the most clean sheets in the history of the UEFA Champions League , as well as for the Spanish national team.
The important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination to which it takes you, because that with work and effort, comes alone and I think I can say, without hesitation, that it has been the path and the dream destination. Gracias!
Iker Casillas announcing his retirement today
Iker Casillas announces retirement: Looking back at his illustrious career
During his highly successful career at his boyhood club Real Madrid , Casillas won all major club titles, including 5 La Liga titles, 4 Supercopa de Espana titles, 2 Copa del Rey titles, 3 UEFA Champions leagues , 2 UEFA Super Cups , 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FIFA Club World Cup . After 25 years with Real Madrid , Casillas joined Portuguese side, FC Porto , in 2015 on a free transfer, where he won 2 Primeira Liga , 1 Taca de Portugal and a Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira title. In his total senior career (club and country combined), he has won 27 trophies . While at Porto, he broke the record for most consecutive seasons played in the UEFA Champions League (20) and amassed the most appearances in the competition (177). He ended his playing career in February 2020, after almost a year on the sidelines following a heart attack he suffered during a training session with Porto in May 2019.
With 167 international caps , Casillas has the 2nd most appearances for the Spanish national team , making him the joint 10th most capped footballer of all time. In 2008, he was made Spanish captain and went on to lead the team to the European Championship that year. Casillas also led Spain to their first-ever World Cup win in 2010, where he kept a joint–record 5 clean sheets, winning the Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Spain became the first nation to retain the European Championship, winning the title again in 2012, where he set the record for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in the competition (509). In 2008, Casillas placed fourth overall in the Ballon d’Or and has been selected for the UEFA Team of the Year 6 consecutive times from 2007 to 2012, a record for a goalkeeper. Casillas was also selected in the FIFPro World XI a record 5 times for a goalkeeper and was named as the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper a record 5 times , alongside Gianluigi Buffon. He was named as the second-best goalkeeper of the 21st century, behind Buffon, and the second-best goalkeeper of the past 25 years by the same organisation. Real Madrid posted a tribute video to their best ever Goalkeeper on their YouTube channel.
On 1 May 2019 , during Porto’s morning training session, Casillas was rushed to hospital after suffering a heart attack at the club’s training ground, where his situation was stabilized. That he won’t be able to play again and his footballing career has ended, was already confirmed in February 2020 . Today, finally Iker Casillas announces retirement from professional football on his Twitter handle after Porto ended their season with a domestic double.
According to numerous reports, Casillas will now join his boyhood club Real Madrid as an advisor to president Florentino Perez , thus being in touch with his favourite football club and fans again.
I’m a ‘Madridista’ right down to my soul, and above all else, what matters to me is the club.
Iker Casillas on Real Madrid
We wish the legendary Goalkeeper a great retirement and hope to see him back in touch with football again!
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