Iker Casillas: the milestones of an unrepeatable career

Debut with 18 years. Casillas debuted in First Division with 18 years. It was 1September 2, 1999 and, after an injury to Illgner, Iker replaced him, playing the third day of the League in San Mamés against Athletic and showing signs of his great personality.

First Champions. Real Madrid win in Paris to Valencia his eighth European Cup with Iker in goal and thus becomes the younger goalkeeper of history to win the Orejona.

To Euro 2000. Camacho surprises quoting Casillas as the third goalkeeper of the Selection for the Euro Cup 2000, along with Cañizares and Molina. Thus began an impressive career with the National Team, in which he played 167 matches in which he won a World Cup and two European Cups.

Glasgow hero. Loses ownership in Madrid in favor of Cease with Del Bosque as coach in the season 2001-02, but the Extremadura goalkeeper is injured in the Champions League final and Iker ties the Ninth for the Madrid with decisive stops.

Penalties Ireland. Iker begins to fatten his legend with a great performance in the round of 16 World Cup 2002. Spain ties with Ireland on June 22 and goes to the penalty shootout, where the Móstoles goalkeeper stops two shots and puts Spain in quarters.

Change history. Spain reaches the quarterfinals of the Euro 2008 with the stigma that he always fell in that round in major competitions. But Iker changed history that June 22nd when after a 0-0 final against Italy, he stopped two penalties and put La Roja in the semifinals. Two games then I would raise the Eurocup after beating Germany in the final. The first great success of that generation.

Great World Cup. Everyone remembers the Puyol's goals for Germany in the World Cup semifinals and the one from Iniesta before Holland in the finalbut none of this would have been possible without the penalty that stopped Cardozo in the quarterfinals against Paraguay, with 0-0 on the scoreboard and with a quarter of an hour to go. In the final he did two miracles before Robben to reach extra time and win the first World Cup star for Spain.

First Cup. He April 20, 2011 Real Madrid conquers its first Copa del Rey in 18 years. The white team, then trained by Mourinho, prevails over the Guardiola's Barcelona 1-0 and for that Casillas is decisive again with great stops that make Cristiano's goal good.

Second Euro Cup. Iker completes a magic quadrennium by also lifting the 2012 European Championship as captain. Spain won in the final for 4-0 to Italy, and Iker asked the referee not to add much time to avoid further humiliation for Italy. This gesture was highly praised by transalpine players.

Substitute with Mou. Iker is relegated to bench at Real Madrid after a poor start to the season and Mourinho puts in front of Adam, which generates a sour debate in Real Madrid, divided by the decision of the Portuguese coach. In that winter market, the Madrid signs Diego López and their situation is further complicated when Arbeloa is injured in a cup game against Valencia and when he recovers Iker is still on the bench.

Call Xavi. Behind the Classics Storm, Iker sees that his long-standing friendship with Xavi is in danger and decides to call him to try to redirect a situation that was also affecting the climate in the National Team. Iker, as captain of Madrid, called Xavi and Puyol to appease the spirits, a decision that sat Mourinho very badly because it was against the escalation of tension encouraged by the technician himself. Iker Casillas, 25 years of Madridism in 25 milestones, revealed: “I called Xavi and Puyol to scold each other and tell us that the situation was not normal, it was unfortunate. When we played, everyone looked for their own. There it got out of handWe were in a tense situation. We were defending our clubs. “

Prince of Asturias Awards. He October 12, 2012 receives from Don Felipe, together with Xavi, the Prince of Asturias Award for Sport “for being fair play example and have a conciliatory attitude in the conflict between Real Madrid and Barcelona. “It was the second time who received that illustrious award, because in 2010 he had received it as a member of the Selection world champion.

His third Champions. With Carlo Ancelotti tempers calm in Madrid and Casillas recovers partially ownership playing in the Champions League and the Cup. In Lisbon, the May 24, 2014, lift your third European Cup and tenth for Real Madrid after winning 4-1 to Atlético. The victory had a bittersweet flavor for Iker because the athletic goal was preceded by an error of his that Sergio Ramos amended with his already historic goal in the 93rd minute.

White's last game. He May 23, 2015 Iker disputed his last match as a madridista. It was against Getafe, with a 7-3 victory, but receiving whistles of the fondness for conceded goals. Gone were sixteen seasons in the first team in which he played a total of 725 matches, which makes him the second player in the history of Real Madrid with the most games and only behind Raúl, who disputed 741.

Transfer to Porto. On July 11, 2015 the Real Madrid makes the transfer official from Casillas to Porto after tense negotiations.

The saddest farewell. He July 12, 2015, Iker wanted to say goodbye to Real Madrid in a cold solo press conference, there was no institutional representation Real Madrid, in which he tearfully stated: “It is not a goodbye, it is a see you later.” And he confirmed his desire for people to remember him “by be a good person with my flaws. “Five years later he recognized that”it was a mistake to give that press conference solo “. Real Madrid, through the mouth of Florentino Pérez, also recalled that this was not the best way to fire a legend of Madrid.

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Goodbye to the Selection. On August 20, 2016 Julen Lopetegui gives your first list as a coach and is not Casillas, who had already been a substitute for De Gea in the 2016 French Euro Cup with Del Bosque. The new coach previously travels to Porto to inform him that he does not have him in the new stage that is beginning. This closes a great cycle that started in the year 2000 and ended with 167 matches wearing La Roja, with a balance of 121 games won, 27 draws and 19 defeats.

The heart attack. He May 1, 2019 Casillas suffered a heart attack while training with Porto. He was admitted to the emergency room with a catheterization. He was discharged from hospital on the 5th and at the doors of the hospital he affirmed: “I have been very lucky.” He does not play soccer again.

Candidacy for the presidency of the RFEF. On February 17, 2020 Iker announces its intention to appear to the elections to the presidency to the RFEF “when they are convened.” On June 15, he announced that he was resigning due to “the exceptional situation” caused by the COVID-19 crisis, on the understanding that elections could not be held in this way.

Porto tribute before goodbye. Last Saturday, the Porto players They wanted Casillas to lift the Portuguese Cup won at Benfica (2-1) as a tribute and recognition for everything he had done for the goalkeeping club.