Iker Casillas has finally bid adieu to the game that had been his life since he was 9 years old. Casillas made his retirement announcement on Twitter on Tuesday as he called time on a distinguished career for Real Madrid, Porto, and Spain.
Saves,lots of saves.
Trophies,lots of trophies.
This was what Real Madrid FC had to say about Iker Casillas, the greatest goalkeeper to ever grace the dressing room at Bernabeu. The statement is pretty apt and does describe the long career in the shortest of words.
Iker Casillas-The man, the myth, the legend
Iker Casillas was a seemingly normal kid from Mostoles, Spain when he arrived at the hallowed Bernabeau at a tender age of 9.Casillas began his career in Real Madrid’s youth system, known as La Fábrica, during the 1990–91 season.
That was just the beginning of a journey that would soon be a stuff of legends. The talent there already was, efforts were put in and the accolades followed.
The 39-year-old, who holds the record for most Champions League clean sheets and most clean sheets for Spain, spent the last five years of his career playing for Porto after his 25-year spell with Real ended in 2015.
ALSO READ: Meet Stuart Kettlewell, Ross County manager and a jaw-dropping lookalike of David de Gea!
Casillas won a World Cup, two European Championships, five La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies during an illustrious career. He also won the Golden Glove in the 2010 World Cup and was an integral part of the all winning golden generation of Spain.
The great who recently turned 39, had suffered a major heart attack during training with FC Porto last May. This, coupled with increasing age and a desire to look beyond the field must have been major factors for his decision.
“Today is both one of the most important and most difficult days of my sporting life, the time to say goodbye has arrived,” he said on Twitter.
Lo importante es el camino que recorres y la gente que te acompaña, no el destino al que te lleva, porque eso con trabajo y esfuerzo, llega solo y creo que puedo decir, sin dudar, que ha sido el camino y el destino soñado #Grac1as pic.twitter.com/xb8ucs9REh
— Iker Casillas (@IkerCasillas) August 4, 2020
Reactions from around the world-
Twitter has flooded with wishes from around the world for this legend’s second innings-
⛔ Saves. Lots of saves.
🏆 Trophies. Lots of trophies.
🧤 @IkerCasillas#RealMadrid | #Grac1as pic.twitter.com/7vL3JNUQjG— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 4, 2020
El fútbol te da las gracias a ti, amigo.
Por siempre una leyenda @IkerCasillas. https://t.co/Sbg5odnd00— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) August 4, 2020
They say competition makes us better than others but not perfect faced with ourselves.
Maybe this futile pursuit of perfection is what made us who we are. #Grac1as Iker, without you, everything would have been less meaningful. pic.twitter.com/wQ3MznmeGP— Gianluigi Buffon (@gianluigibuffon) August 4, 2020
🧤 #Grac1as, @IkerCasillas. pic.twitter.com/Ss6CaS8DFX
— Cantera Real Madrid (@lafabricacrm) August 4, 2020
Comunicado Oficial: Iker Casillas#RealMadrid
— Real Madrid C.F. (34🏆) (@realmadrid) August 4, 2020
.@IkerCasillas pic.twitter.com/5hKGgX6EB4
— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) August 4, 2020
A #WorldCup winner, @SeFutbol icon and true goalkeeping great has announced his retirement 🧤
Congratulations on a fantastic playing career, @IkerCasillas, and good luck for the next chapter! 👏 pic.twitter.com/3FQZVvtx5O
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) August 4, 2020
The post-retirement plans-
Casillas had recovered from his heart attack in 2019 and was going to contest the Spanish FA presidential elections. However, he had to cancel his candidature citing the coronavirus pandemic and was acting as an advisor to Florentino Perez according to the latest reports.
His plans suggest that he has a firm desire to remain connected with the sport albeit in an administrative manner.
The career of this legend is a testament to the fact that the manner in which you play the game is far more important than what the results are and his retiring tweet mentions the same-
“The important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination that 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.”
If you like reading about MMA, make sure you check out MMAIndia.com
Also, follow India’s biggest arm wrestling tournament at ProPanja.com
Also read:
The Corona Effect: New FA rules make “deliberate” coughing on the field a red card offence
