This week, perhaps the greatest of them all called time on his storied career.
After an unforgettable 21 years, 16 of which were spent with hometown club Real Madrid, and over 1,000 matches, Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas announced his retirement at the age of 39 via a statement posted on Twitter. The Spaniard had not played since April 2019 after suffering a heart attack during a training session. The announcement deservedly brought the football world to a standstill as former teammates and rivals alike as well as fans from all over the world flocked to social media to pay tribute to "San Iker".
Casillas' list of achievements speaks for itself. Three Champions Leagues. Five La Liga titles. Two Copa del Rey titles. Two European Championships. And of course, the 2010 World Cup.
Casillas is also the proud owner of many individual achievements and records. He has played in more matches and registered more clean sheets in the Champions League than has anyone else. He is the only goalkeeper to have ever made the FIFPro World XI five times. He won the Golden Glove at the 2010 World Cup after conceding a joint-record low of two goals over the seven matches of Spain's victorious campaign. He is the only player to have played in 20 consecutive Champions League campaigns. He is the only goalkeeper to have registered 100 clean sheets in international play.
When Iker Casillas first stepped between the posts in 1998, few could have foreseen that the kid manning the goal that day would go on to become one of the all-time greats. Almost two years later, Casillas would take his first step on his path to greatness when in his first season at Real, he was the starting goalkeeper as Real beat Valencia to win the 2000 Champions League title.
In the 2002 Champions League final, Casillas proved that he was as clutch as they come when he broke a recent slump by making numerous key saves to preserve Real's lead against Bayer Leverkusen to clinch the title for Los Merengues. It soon became evident that Casillas possessed a combination of physical attributes and mental intangibles which had seldom been seen in any goalkeeper.
From 2008 to 2012, Casillas was the starting goalkeeper as Spain won two European Championship titles and a World Cup. At this point, he had firmly established himself as not only the best goalkeeper in the world, but arguably the greatest goalkeeper ever. This recognition came in spite of the fact that his Furia Roja teammates such as Xavi, Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, and Sergio Busquets often received more credit for the tournament victories than did Casillas.
Casillas' greatest save took place in 2009 when playing in a La Liga match for Real against Sevilla after Sevilla's Diego Perotti took a close-range shot from an Álvaro Negredo pass. It looked like a certain goal, but Casillas not only somehow kept it out, but in play as well to even deny Sevilla a corner kick.
One underrated element of Casillas' game was his leadership. Casillas first captained Spain in 2006 and Real Madrid in 2010. His analytical and organized approach to matches was a steadying influence on his teammates. Casillas exemplified a true captain in deeds rather than in words.
Even after leaving for Porto in 2015, Casillas' love for Real never dimmed. Indeed, just a few weeks before officially announcing his retirement, Casillas had agreed to return to the Santiago Bernabéu, this time in an advisory role. Madrid's beloved son had finally come full circle.
Such has been Casillas' impact that ever since he hit his prime, every Spanish goalkeeper who has shown even the slightest bit of promise has been in his shadow. Almost any up-and-coming goalkeeper to come out of Spain will also inevitably draw comparisons to the iconic shot-stopper.
When discussing who is the greatest goalkeeper ever, there are only three who could be possible correct answers. The first is Lev Yashin, the second is Gianluigi Buffon, and the third is none other than Iker Casillas Fernández.
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