Íker Casillas
Encyclopedia
Iker Casillas Fernández (ˈikeɾ kaˈsiʎas feɾˈnandeθ; born 20 May 1981) is a Spanish
football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga
club Real Madrid
and the Spanish national team
, being the captain of both. In 2008 he led the Spanish national team to their first European Championship
in 44 years, and in 2010, to win the World Cup
, being also named the tournament's best goalkeeper.
Since his early professional years as a teenager, Casillas has been recognised as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, being nominated for the European Footballer of the Year award twice, ranking fourth overall in 2008 and continuing to be the highest-ranked goalkeeper again in 2009. At the end of 2009 he was voted into the UEFA Team of the Year
for the third consecutive time. As of 2011 Casillas is one of a very select group of players who have won all major club and national championship titles. In 2010, he was awarded with the Sports Prince of Asturias Award. On 19 October 2010, Casillas became the most capped goalkeeper of all time in the UEFA Champions League
and in November 2011, he became the most capped player of all time for the Spanish national team.
, Community of Madrid to José Luis Casillas, a civil servant in the Ministry of Education, and María del Carmen Fernández González, a hairdresser. Both his parents had emigrated from their home town of Navalacruz
, Ávila. When Iker was a child, he lived for some years in the Basque Country, but he has always considered Madrid to be his hometown. Casillas has a brother, seven years younger, named Unai, who currently plays as a central midfielder for CD Móstoles
.
As a young child, one weekend Casillas forgot to post his father’s football predictions on the weekend his father had correctly predicted all 14 results. The family lost out on an estimated €1m.
. By the next season, he relegated Illgner to the bench and became first-choice. In 2000, he became the youngest ever goalkeeper to play in a Champions League final when Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3–0, just four days after his nineteenth birthday.
Casillas lost his place in the side to backup César Sánchez
after a patch of bad form during the 2001–02 campaign, but redeemed himself when Sánchez suffered an injury in the last minutes of 2002 Champions League final
match. Casillas came on and pulled off several brilliant saves to deny a rampant Bayer Leverkusen
the Champions League crown. Real Madrid won 2–1 and Casillas has maintained the number 1 shirt ever since.
The 2007–08 season was a fruitful season for Casillas as he helped Real Madrid reclaim their 31st La Liga
title and conceded only 32 goals in 36 matches to claim the Zamora Trophy. On 14 February 2008, he and then club captain Raúl González
were awarded a contract for life. Casillas signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2017, with an automatic extension if he plays 30 competitive matches during the final season of the contract and a buy-out clause of £113 million. His performances earned him a spot in the UEFA Team of the Year
for the second time.
In February 2009, Casillas equalled Paco Buyo's record of 454 matches played (for a goalkeeper) and has since surpassed it to become Real Madrid's most-capped goalkeeper of all time at only twenty-seven years old. During the 2009 summer transfer window, some Spanish media reported that Manchester City
had launched a record £129 million bid for the goalkeeper. However the club denied the allegations saying that no such offer had been made. Manchester United had been rumoured to have enquired about him, but no price was announced. He had been linked with other Premier League clubs before but Casillas himself stated that he "had no intention of leaving" his boyhood club.
During the 2009–10
season on 4 October in a game against Sevilla
, Casillas made an extraordinary save; he ran from one side of his goal to the other and denied Diego Perotti
in a one-on-one close range encounter. After the match, he received praise from fellow Spanish goalkeepers and England
goalkeeping legend Gordon Banks
, who stated "Casillas' reflexes are incredible. If he continues to play this well he will become one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the game." Europa Press
reported that Casillas was the 2nd most popular Spanish sportsman on the internet throughout 2010. The study performed by company Vipnet360 examined the web presence on platforms like Facebook
, Twitter
and YouTube
.
in Egypt. He was later made captain of the U-17's. Two years later, he went on to win the FIFA World Youth Championship
and the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup
that same year. Initially second-choice, he soon worked his way up to first-choice and eventually earned his first senior cap following some brilliant performances at club level.
Casillas is currently the most capped player in the history of the Spanish national team. Following his full international debut at the senior level on 3 June 2000 against Sweden
(at 19 years and 14 days), Casillas was an unused substitute at Euro 2000. He was part of the roster for the 2002 World Cup
, initially as the understudy to Santiago Cañizares
. Coincidentally, Casillas became the first-choice goalkeeper when Cañizares had to withdraw from the tournament due to injury from a freak accident. At 21, he was one of the youngest first-choice goalkeepers in the tournament. He played an instrumental role in Spanish progression when he saved two penalties in the shoot-out during the round of 16 match against the Republic of Ireland
, earning him the nickname "The Saint". One of his saves during the quarterfinals versus South Korea during the 2002 FIFA World Cup
was rated by FIFA as one of the top 10 saves of all time.
Casillas played in all eight Group six fixtures during Euro 2004 qualifying, conceding just four goals. He kept a clean sheet in the second leg victory of the playoff against Norway
which ended 3–0 in Oslo, and started all of Spain's Euro 2004 matches. He was the first choice for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, captaining the team twice, but could not prevent La Roja from losing 3–1 to a Zidane-inspired France in the Round of 16.
With the exclusion of his Real Madrid
teammate Raúl
from the squad for Euro 2008, Casillas was given the captain's armband. He started the first two Group D
games against Russia
and Sweden before being rested in place of second-choice goalkeeper Pepe Reina for Spain's group stage elimination of Greece
. Casillas saved two penalties from Antonio Di Natale
and Daniele De Rossi
as Spain eliminated Italy
in the quarterfinals with a 4–2 shootout win following a goalless draw on 22 June. Spain later went on to win the competition with a 1–0 win over Germany in the final
on 29 June; Casillas kept clean sheets for the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final matches, with Sweden's first round goal by Zlatan Ibrahimović
being the last one scored against him. On 29 June 2008 Casillas became the first goalkeeper-captain to lift the UEFA European Championship trophy when Spain beat Germany 1–0 in the final.
In October 2008, Casillas and deputy in goal Pepe Reina broke the national record for the longest time spent without conceding a goal. The pair went unbeaten for 710 minutes, longer than Spain's longest-serving goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta
and Paco Buyo
. Wesley Sonck
of Belgium ended their goalless streak when he scored against them a 2010 World Cup qualifying match.
Casillas was the highest ranked goalkeeper (4th place) in the 2008 Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo
, Lionel Messi
and national teammate Fernando Torres
. Also in 2008 Casillas was named the world's best goalkeeperby the IFFHS. He also came in third place in the best goalkeepers of all time ranking; beating Oliver Kahn
.
On 5 September 2009, after a 5–0 win over Belgium in a qualifying match for the World Cup, Casillas equalled Andoni Zubizarreta's national record of 56 clean sheets, and during the Spanish team's next match against Estonia on 9 September 2009, he surpassed Zubizarreta
as the record holder for the most Spanish international clean sheets (this being achieved in Casillas' 98th appearance for the national team, while Zubizarreta made 126 before his retirement). Two months later, Casillas made his 100th appearance for the Spanish squad in the friendly win over Argentina
, making him only the third player in history of Spanish football to ever reach this far internationally. Only Andoni Zubizarreta
, on 126, now stands ahead of him.
On 11 July 2010, he captained Spain to their first ever World Cup title
with a 1–0 win against the Netherlands
. In doing so he became the third ever goalkeeper to captain a World Cup winning side (along with Gianpiero Combi in 1934
and Dino Zoff
in 1982
). He was voted the tournament's best goalkeeper and awarded the Golden Glove. In the course of the finals in South Africa he kept five clean sheets, conceded two goals, and saved a penalty in the quarter final against Paraguay
. In the final
, he made two crucial stops from Netherlands' Arjen Robben
with the score at 0–0 after the Dutchman had passed all the defenders.
On 15 November 2011, Casillas became Spain's most capped player, breaking Andoni Zubizarreta
's record after starting for Spain in their 2–2 draw against Costa Rica.
All-Time Club Performance
.
's Millennium Development Goals
.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
club Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and the Spanish national team
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, being the captain of both. In 2008 he led the Spanish national team to their first European Championship
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
in 44 years, and in 2010, to win the World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, being also named the tournament's best goalkeeper.
Since his early professional years as a teenager, Casillas has been recognised as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, being nominated for the European Footballer of the Year award twice, ranking fourth overall in 2008 and continuing to be the highest-ranked goalkeeper again in 2009. At the end of 2009 he was voted into the UEFA Team of the Year
UEFA Team of the Year
The UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...
for the third consecutive time. As of 2011 Casillas is one of a very select group of players who have won all major club and national championship titles. In 2010, he was awarded with the Sports Prince of Asturias Award. On 19 October 2010, Casillas became the most capped goalkeeper of all time in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and in November 2011, he became the most capped player of all time for the Spanish national team.
Early life
Casillas was born on 20 May 1981 in MóstolesMóstoles
Móstoles is the second-largest city in population belonging to the autonomous community of Madrid. It is located 18 kilometres southwest from central Madrid. Móstoles was for a long time only a small village, but expanded rapidly in the twentieth century....
, Community of Madrid to José Luis Casillas, a civil servant in the Ministry of Education, and María del Carmen Fernández González, a hairdresser. Both his parents had emigrated from their home town of Navalacruz
Navalacruz
Navalacruz is a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 264 inhabitants....
, Ávila. When Iker was a child, he lived for some years in the Basque Country, but he has always considered Madrid to be his hometown. Casillas has a brother, seven years younger, named Unai, who currently plays as a central midfielder for CD Móstoles
CD Móstoles
Club Deportivo Móstoles is a Spanish football team from Móstoles, a city in the southern metropolitan area of Madrid. Founded in 1955, it currently plays in Tercera División, holding home matches at El Soto, which seats about 14,000 spectators....
.
As a young child, one weekend Casillas forgot to post his father’s football predictions on the weekend his father had correctly predicted all 14 results. The family lost out on an estimated €1m.
Real Madrid
Casillas had started in the junior squad of Real Madrid's youth system during the 1990–91 season. On 27 November 1997 at age 16 he was first called up to the first team to face Rosenborg in Champions League, but it wasn't until the 1998–99 season that he debuted in the senior side, substituting Bodo IllgnerBodo Illgner
Bodo Illgner is a retired German footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.During his career, he played for 1. FC Köln and Real Madrid, and helped West Germany to the 1990 World Cup, where he became the first goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup final.-Club career:Born in Koblenz, Illgner...
. By the next season, he relegated Illgner to the bench and became first-choice. In 2000, he became the youngest ever goalkeeper to play in a Champions League final when Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3–0, just four days after his nineteenth birthday.
Casillas lost his place in the side to backup César Sánchez
César Sánchez
César Sánchez Domínguez , known as César or Sánchez, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Villarreal CF as a goalkeeper.-Valladolid / Real Madrid:...
after a patch of bad form during the 2001–02 campaign, but redeemed himself when Sánchez suffered an injury in the last minutes of 2002 Champions League final
2002 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2002 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The show-piece event was contested between Bayer Leverkusen of Germany and Real Madrid of Spain at the Hampden Park in Glasgow, on Wednesday, 15 May 2002, to...
match. Casillas came on and pulled off several brilliant saves to deny a rampant Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...
the Champions League crown. Real Madrid won 2–1 and Casillas has maintained the number 1 shirt ever since.
The 2007–08 season was a fruitful season for Casillas as he helped Real Madrid reclaim their 31st La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
title and conceded only 32 goals in 36 matches to claim the Zamora Trophy. On 14 February 2008, he and then club captain Raúl González
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04....
were awarded a contract for life. Casillas signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2017, with an automatic extension if he plays 30 competitive matches during the final season of the contract and a buy-out clause of £113 million. His performances earned him a spot in the UEFA Team of the Year
UEFA Team of the Year
The UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...
for the second time.
In February 2009, Casillas equalled Paco Buyo's record of 454 matches played (for a goalkeeper) and has since surpassed it to become Real Madrid's most-capped goalkeeper of all time at only twenty-seven years old. During the 2009 summer transfer window, some Spanish media reported that Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
had launched a record £129 million bid for the goalkeeper. However the club denied the allegations saying that no such offer had been made. Manchester United had been rumoured to have enquired about him, but no price was announced. He had been linked with other Premier League clubs before but Casillas himself stated that he "had no intention of leaving" his boyhood club.
During the 2009–10
2009–10 La Liga
- Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|...
season on 4 October in a game against Sevilla
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, Casillas made an extraordinary save; he ran from one side of his goal to the other and denied Diego Perotti
Diego Perotti
Diego Perotti is an Argentine footballer who plays for Sevilla FC in the Spanish first division.Mainly a left winger who can play with both feet, he can also appear as an attacking midfielder.-Club career:...
in a one-on-one close range encounter. After the match, he received praise from fellow Spanish goalkeepers and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
goalkeeping legend Gordon Banks
Gordon Banks
Gordon Banks, OBE is a retired English football goalkeeper. The IFFHS named Banks the second best goalkeeper of the 20th century – after Lev Yashin and ahead of Dino Zoff ....
, who stated "Casillas' reflexes are incredible. If he continues to play this well he will become one of the best goalkeepers in the history of the game." Europa Press
Europa Press
The Europa Press was a publishing house founded and run by the Irish surrealist poet George Reavey. The press was based in Paris from its inception in 1932 until 1935, when Reavey moved to London...
reported that Casillas was the 2nd most popular Spanish sportsman on the internet throughout 2010. The study performed by company Vipnet360 examined the web presence on platforms like Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
International career
Casillas debuted for the national team in the U–17 level. At age 16, he was the youngest player in the Spanish squad that placed third at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship
-Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:-------------------------Knockout Stage:-Quarterfinals:-------------Semifinals:-----Playoff for 3rd place:-Final:-Top goalscorers:...
in Egypt. He was later made captain of the U-17's. Two years later, he went on to win the FIFA World Youth Championship
1999 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Nigeria between April 3 and April 24, 1999. The 1999 championship was the 12th contested.- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.-Squads:...
and the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup
UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup
The UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup features Under-18 representative sides from Europe and Africa, and is part of the co-operation programme between UEFA and the CAF.-Meridian Project:...
that same year. Initially second-choice, he soon worked his way up to first-choice and eventually earned his first senior cap following some brilliant performances at club level.
Casillas is currently the most capped player in the history of the Spanish national team. Following his full international debut at the senior level on 3 June 2000 against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
(at 19 years and 14 days), Casillas was an unused substitute at Euro 2000. He was part of the roster for the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, initially as the understudy to Santiago Cañizares
Santiago Cañizares
José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.After playing with Real Madrid, mostly as a backup, he finished his career at Valencia CF, where he appeared in more than 400 official games since 1998.In his prime, he was regarded as one of the best...
. Coincidentally, Casillas became the first-choice goalkeeper when Cañizares had to withdraw from the tournament due to injury from a freak accident. At 21, he was one of the youngest first-choice goalkeepers in the tournament. He played an instrumental role in Spanish progression when he saved two penalties in the shoot-out during the round of 16 match against the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, earning him the nickname "The Saint". One of his saves during the quarterfinals versus South Korea during the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
was rated by FIFA as one of the top 10 saves of all time.
Casillas played in all eight Group six fixtures during Euro 2004 qualifying, conceding just four goals. He kept a clean sheet in the second leg victory of the playoff against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
which ended 3–0 in Oslo, and started all of Spain's Euro 2004 matches. He was the first choice for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, captaining the team twice, but could not prevent La Roja from losing 3–1 to a Zidane-inspired France in the Round of 16.
With the exclusion of his Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
teammate Raúl
Raúl González
Raúl González Blanco , known simply as Raúl, is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker. He currently plays for German club Schalke 04....
from the squad for Euro 2008, Casillas was given the captain's armband. He started the first two Group D
UEFA Euro 2008 Group D
Group D of the 2008 UEFA European Championships is one of four groups of competing nations at UEFA Euro 2008. The first round of matches were played on 10 June, with the final round scheduled for 18 June. All six group matches were played at venues in Austria, in Innsbruck and Salzburg...
games against Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
and Sweden before being rested in place of second-choice goalkeeper Pepe Reina for Spain's group stage elimination of Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
. Casillas saved two penalties from Antonio Di Natale
Antonio di Natale
Antonio Di Natale is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Udinese.A versatile striker with a lethal eye for goal, Di Natale can play anywhere in the front line, as a lone striker or out wide in an attacking trident. He is notable for his dribbling skills, pace and for his ability to...
and Daniele De Rossi
Daniele De Rossi
Daniele De Rossi, Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Roma. He is the current Roma's vice-captain and nicknamed as Capitan Futuro due to his high probabality as heir-apparent to Francesco Totti's captain armband.With Roma he has won the Coppa Italia...
as Spain eliminated Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in the quarterfinals with a 4–2 shootout win following a goalless draw on 22 June. Spain later went on to win the competition with a 1–0 win over Germany in the final
UEFA Euro 2008 Final
The UEFA Euro 2008 Final was a football match that took place on 29 June 2008 at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria, to determine the winner of the UEFA Euro 2008. Spain defeated Germany 1–0 with a goal from Fernando Torres...
on 29 June; Casillas kept clean sheets for the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final matches, with Sweden's first round goal by Zlatan Ibrahimović
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain....
being the last one scored against him. On 29 June 2008 Casillas became the first goalkeeper-captain to lift the UEFA European Championship trophy when Spain beat Germany 1–0 in the final.
In October 2008, Casillas and deputy in goal Pepe Reina broke the national record for the longest time spent without conceding a goal. The pair went unbeaten for 710 minutes, longer than Spain's longest-serving goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.The all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team for several years, he played with individual and team success for Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona , appearing in more than 950...
and Paco Buyo
Francisco Buyo
Francisco 'Paco' Buyo Sánchez is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.Best known for his Sevilla and Real Madrid spells, he appeared in 542 La Liga matches, third all-time highest, winning 12 major titles with the latter club.A Spanish international during roughly one decade,...
. Wesley Sonck
Wesley Sonck
Wesley Sonck is a Belgian football player, who currently plays as a striker for K. Lierse S.K. who signed him in August 2010 and the Belgium national football team. He played for KRC Genk in the Belgian First Division from where he joined AFC Ajax in 2003 for about £5 million...
of Belgium ended their goalless streak when he scored against them a 2010 World Cup qualifying match.
Casillas was the highest ranked goalkeeper (4th place) in the 2008 Ballon d'Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
, Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
and national teammate Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres
Fernando José Torres Sanz , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Spain national team as a striker....
. Also in 2008 Casillas was named the world's best goalkeeperby the IFFHS. He also came in third place in the best goalkeepers of all time ranking; beating Oliver Kahn
Oliver Kahn
Oliver Rolf Kahn is a former German football goalkeeper. He started his career in the Karlsruher SC Junior team. He had his debut game in the professional squad in 1987...
.
On 5 September 2009, after a 5–0 win over Belgium in a qualifying match for the World Cup, Casillas equalled Andoni Zubizarreta's national record of 56 clean sheets, and during the Spanish team's next match against Estonia on 9 September 2009, he surpassed Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.The all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team for several years, he played with individual and team success for Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona , appearing in more than 950...
as the record holder for the most Spanish international clean sheets (this being achieved in Casillas' 98th appearance for the national team, while Zubizarreta made 126 before his retirement). Two months later, Casillas made his 100th appearance for the Spanish squad in the friendly win over Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
, making him only the third player in history of Spanish football to ever reach this far internationally. Only Andoni Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.The all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team for several years, he played with individual and team success for Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona , appearing in more than 950...
, on 126, now stands ahead of him.
On 11 July 2010, he captained Spain to their first ever World Cup title
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
with a 1–0 win against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. In doing so he became the third ever goalkeeper to captain a World Cup winning side (along with Gianpiero Combi in 1934
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
and Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff is an Italian former football goalkeeper and is the oldest winner ever of the World Cup, which he earned as captain of the Italian team in the 1982 tournament in Spain, at the age of 40 years, 4 months and 13 days.Zoff was a goalkeeper of outstanding ability and has a place in the...
in 1982
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:...
). He was voted the tournament's best goalkeeper and awarded the Golden Glove. In the course of the finals in South Africa he kept five clean sheets, conceded two goals, and saved a penalty in the quarter final against Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
. In the final
2010 FIFA World Cup Final
The 2010 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that took place on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa, to determine the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0 with a goal from Andrés Iniesta four minutes from the end of extra time...
, he made two crucial stops from Netherlands' Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills...
with the score at 0–0 after the Dutchman had passed all the defenders.
On 15 November 2011, Casillas became Spain's most capped player, breaking Andoni Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.The all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team for several years, he played with individual and team success for Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona , appearing in more than 950...
's record after starting for Spain in their 2–2 draw against Costa Rica.
Statistics
All-Time Club Performance
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | G A | Apps | G A | Apps | G A | Apps | G A | Apps | G A | ||
| Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
|||||||||||
| 1999–00 | 27 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 47 | 48 | |
| 2000–01 | 34 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 47 | 56 | |
| 2001–02 | 25 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 38 | |
| 2002–03 | 38 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 64 | |
| 2003–04 | 37 | 50 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 50 | 63 | |
| 2004–05 2004–05 La Liga 2004–05 season was composed of the following clubs:* Albacete Balompié* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Real Betis* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Levante UD* Málaga CF* Real Mallorca* CD Numancia* CA Osasuna... |
37 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 41 | |
| 2005–06 2005–06 La Liga * Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC... |
37 | 38 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 53 | |
| 2006–07 | 38 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 50 | |
| 2007–08 | 36 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 46 | 51 | |
| 2008–09 | 38 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 47 | 67 | |
| 2009–10 2009–10 La Liga - Personnel and sponsoring :- Before the start of the season :- During the season :-League table:||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|||rowspan=1 style="background-color:#F9F9F9;"|... |
38 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 44 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 La Liga The 2010–11 La Liga season was the 80th since its establishment. The campaign began on 28 August 2010 and ended on 21 May 2011. A total of 20 teams contested the league, 17 of which already contested in the 2009–10 season and three of which were promoted from the Segunda División... |
35 | 32 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 40 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 La Liga The 2011–12 La Liga season is the 81st since its establishment. Barcelona are the defending champions, having won their 21st La Liga title in the previous season for the third time in a row. The campaign began on 27 August 2011, and will end on 13 May 2012... |
13 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 15 | |
| Career totals | 433 | 448 | 24 | 15 | 118 | 139 | 16 | 28 | 591 | 630 | |
| National Team |
Year | Friendlies FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth... |
World Cup FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body... |
European Championships UEFA European Football Championship The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current... |
Confederations Cup FIFA Confederations Cup The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams... |
Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain Spain national football team The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque... |
2000 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
| 2001 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | |
| 2004 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | |
| 2005 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2006 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 12 | |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2008 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | |
| 2009 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 9 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 12 | |
| 2011 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 7 | |
| Total | 48 | 27 | 40 | 24 | 35 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 127 | 76 | |
Club
- La LigaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
(4): 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08 - Copa del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
(1): 2010–112011 Copa del Rey Final-Aftermath:Real Madrid players celebrated their victory that evening by riding a double-decker bus through Madrid where they were greeted by cheering crowds. While holding the trophy aloft, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos dropped the cup in front of the bus, where it was crushed. Ramos later... - Supercopa de EspañaSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
(3): 20012001 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2001 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 19 August and 22 August 2001. It contested by Real Zaragoza, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2000–01, and Real Madrid, who won the 2000–01 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 4–1 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second...
, 20032003 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2003 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 24 August and 27 August 2003. It contested by RCD Mallorca, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2002–03, and Real Madrid, who won the 2002–03 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 4–2 on aggregate.-First leg:-Second leg:-References:...
, 20082008 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2008 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 17 August and 24 August 2008. It was contested by Valencia CF, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2007–08, and Real Madrid, who won the 2007–08 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 6–5 on aggregate for their eighth Supercopa...
. - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
(2): 1999–20002000 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2000 UEFA Champions League Final took place at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France on 24 May 2000. The match pitted Spanish rivals Real Madrid and Valencia...
, 2001–022002 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2002 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The show-piece event was contested between Bayer Leverkusen of Germany and Real Madrid of Spain at the Hampden Park in Glasgow, on Wednesday, 15 May 2002, to... - UEFA Super Cup (1): 20022002 UEFA Super CupThe 2002 UEFA Super Cup was played on August 30, 2002 between Real Madrid of Spain and Feyenoord of the Netherlands. Real Madrid qualified by beating Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final. Feyenoord had made it to the Super Cup after beating Borussia Dortmund in the 2002 UEFA Cup...
- Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
(1): 20022002 Intercontinental CupThe 2002 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 3 December 2002 between Real Madrid, winners of the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League, and Olimpia, winners of the 2002 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama in front of...
Country
- FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
: 20102010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... - UEFA European ChampionshipUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
: 2008 - UEFA U-15 Championship: 1995
- UEFA U-16 ChampionshipUEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA U-17 Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. From 1982 to 2001 it was an Under-16 event.This meeting serves as a preliminary competition for the FIFA U-17 World Cup every other year....
: 19971997 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship-References:**... - FIFA World Youth Championship: 19991999 FIFA World Youth ChampionshipThe 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Nigeria between April 3 and April 24, 1999. The 1999 championship was the 12th contested.- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.-Squads:...
Decorations
- Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit: 2009
- Favourite son of NavalacruzNavalacruzNavalacruz is a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 264 inhabitants....
: 2010 - Favourite son of MóstolesMóstolesMóstoles is the second-largest city in population belonging to the autonomous community of Madrid. It is located 18 kilometres southwest from central Madrid. Móstoles was for a long time only a small village, but expanded rapidly in the twentieth century....
: 2010
Individual
- Bravo AwardBravo AwardThe Bravo Award is an annual award which is handed out by the Italian magazine Guerin Sportivo to the most outstanding young European footballer. The first winner of the award was English Jimmy Case. Until 1992 only under-23 players participating in one of the three European club cups were eligible...
: 2000 - Don Balón AwardDon Balón AwardFrom 1976 until 2010, the Spanish magazine Don Balón confered the Don Balón Award to the best Spanish player, the best foreign player, the best referee, and the breakthrough player in La Liga...
: Breakthrough Player 2000 - UEFA Team of the YearUEFA Team of the YearThe UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...
: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - Zamora Trophy: 2007–08
- UEFA Euro Team of the TournamentUEFA European Championship Teams of the TournamentThis article lists the Teams of the Tournament in the UEFA European Championship from 1960 to date.-France 1960:* 1. Lev Yashin* 2. Vladimir Durković* 3. Ladislav Novák* 4. Igor Netto* 5. Josef Masopust...
: 2008 - FIFA World XI: 2008, 2009, 2010
- FIFA/FIFPro World's best goalkeeper 2008, 2009, 2010
- IFFHS Best GoalkeeperIFFHS World's Best GoalkeeperThe IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper is a football award given annually since 1987 to the most outstanding goalkeeper as voted by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics . The votes, in 1996, were cast by IFFHS's editorial staff as well as experts from 89 countries spanning six...
: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 - FIFA.com Team of the Year: 2008
- FIFA World Cup Golden Glove: 2010
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010
Personal life
Since 2009, Casillas has been in a relationship with sports journalist Sara CarboneroSara Carbonero
Sara Carbonero Arévalo is a Spanish TV presenter for Telecinco and sports journalist.- Press controversy :...
.
Charity
In 2011, Casillas was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development ProgrammeUnited Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
's Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
.
External links
- Profile on Real MadridReal MadridReal Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
official website - Iker Casillas at La Liga
- 2010 FIFA World Cup profile
- National team data
- BDFutbol profile
- Iker Casillas Biography and Videos
- Transfermarkt profile
- ESPN Profile