Nadal, Casillas, Gasol … and solidarity

Rafa Nadal and Iker Casillas are old friends, contemporaries in the Golden Age of Spanish Sports, which already joined forces a long time ago, in December 2007, in a solidarity event at the Madrid Arena, which they repeated the following year at the Palacio de Deportes. The Iker's friends they faced the Nadal's friends in a football match, a tennis match, and even a go-kart race, to fight malaria. Fernando Alonso, Sergio Ramos, Alberto Contador, Sergio García … Both managed to bring together a host of stars for charitable purposes, an experience that they later reissued in 2014, with a different format, on the 'Charity Day' of the Caja Mágica.

The idea came from a call from friends: “Let's get together to do something for each other.” As happened in the present 2020, when Nadal dialed the phone of another old friend, Pau Gasol, in full confinement, to lead a solidarity campaign against the coronavirus pandemic. The two world icons mobilized to gather, once again, the aces of sport around the action #OurBestVictory of the Red Cross, which managed to raise more than 14 million euros. Novak Djokovic, Carolina Marín, Carlos Sainz father and son, Alejandro Valverde, Marc Márquez … Casillas again. At the most difficult moment in recent history, sport was once again at the height of citizenship. And he turned to help.

Rafa Nadal met again this Thursday with Iker Casillas at the Royal Theater of Madrid, which hosted the delivery of the 2020 AS Awards, in a ceremony adapted to the times. And it coincided with Pau Gasol, who appeared through a connection from the United States. Rafa was also distinguished for his 20 Grand Slam titles. Iker, for his award-winning career just finished. And the three, along with the rest of the winners, for his spirit of solidarity. 13 years ago it was malaria. Now, COVID-19. The fight continues. And sport always takes a step forward.