Iker Casillas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Iker Casillas

Casillas in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth	(1981-05-20) 20 May 1981 (age 44)
Place of birth	Móstoles, Spain
Height	1.85m
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1990–1998	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–1999	Real Madrid C	27	(0)
1999–2000	Real Madrid B	4	(0)
1999–2015	Real Madrid	510	(0)
2015–2020	Porto	116	(0)
Total		657	(0)
National team
1996	Spain U15	1	(0)
1996–1998	Spain U16	19	(0)
1997–1999	Spain U17	10	(0)
1999	Spain U18	4	(0)
1999	Spain U20	2	(0)
1999–2000	Spain U21	5	(0)
2000–2016	Spain	167	(0)
Honours Men's football Representing  Spain FIFA World Cup Winner 2010 South Africa Team UEFA European Championship Winner 2008 Austria-Switzerland Team Winner 2012 Poland-Ukraine Team FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 2013 Brazil Third 2009 South Africa FIFA U-20 World Cup Winner 1999 Nigeria FIFA U-17 World Cup Third 1997 Egypt Team UEFA European Under-16 Championship Winner 1997 Germany
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Iker Casillas Fernández (born 20 May 1981) is a Spanish former professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper and is now a football commentator. People often called him "San Iker" (which means "Saint Iker"). This was because he made amazing saves that seemed like miracles. Many consider Casillas to be one of the best goalkeepers ever. He was known for being athletic, having quick reactions, and stopping shots incredibly well.

Casillas spent most of his career playing for Real Madrid. He is one of the few players to play over 1,000 professional matches. He also holds the record for the most "clean sheets" (games without letting in a goal) for the Spain national team. After playing, he started working as a commentator for TV channels like RTVE and Movistar Plus+.

Casillas began his career in the Real Madrid youth team. He joined the main team in 1999. At 19 years old, he became the youngest goalkeeper to play in and win a UEFA Champions League final. During his time at Real Madrid, he won many important titles. These included five La Liga titles and three Champions League titles. After 25 years with Real Madrid, Casillas moved to FC Porto in 2015. There, he won the Primeira Liga and broke records for playing in the most Champions League seasons (20) and having the most appearances (177). He stopped playing football in February 2020. This was almost a year after he had a heart attack during training.

Casillas played 167 games for the Spain national team. This makes him one of the players with the most appearances for Spain. He became Spain's main goalkeeper at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In 2008, he became the team's captain. He led Spain to win the European Championship that year. Casillas also led Spain to their first World Cup win in 2010. He kept five clean sheets and won the award for the best goalkeeper. Spain then won the European Championship again in 2012. Casillas set a record for not letting in a goal for 509 minutes in that competition.

Casillas was recognized as one of the best players in the world. He was chosen for the UEFA Team of the Year six times in a row. He was also named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper a record five times.

Early Life and Family

Iker Casillas was born on 20 May 1981 in Móstoles, a town near Madrid, Spain. His father, José Luis, worked for the government, and his mother, María del Carmen, was a hairdresser. Both his parents came from a village called Navalacruz.

Iker has a younger brother named Unai. Unai also played football as a midfielder. The brothers' names are from the Basque region because their family has roots there. Their grandfather lived in Bilbao, and their father grew up there. Iker also lived in the area when he was very young before his family moved to Madrid.

When Iker was a small child, about seven or eight years old, he once forgot to mail his father's football predictions. His father had correctly guessed all 15 results for that weekend. Because of this, the family missed out on winning a lot of money.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Real Madrid

Casillas started playing football in Real Madrid's youth system in 1990. This youth system is called La Fábrica. When he was 16, in 1997, he was called up to the senior team for a UEFA Champions League match. He didn't play in that game, but it was his first time with the main squad.

After playing one season for Real Madrid's C-team, he became a strong candidate for the first-choice goalkeeper. In September 1999, he played his first Champions League game. He was 18 years and 177 days old, making him the youngest goalkeeper to play in the competition at that time. A few days before, he had made his La Liga debut in a match against Athletic Bilbao. In May 2000, just after his 19th birthday, he became the youngest goalkeeper to play in and win a Champions League final. Real Madrid won the final 3–0 against Valencia.

Becoming a Star (2001–2010)

Casillas briefly lost his starting spot in the 2001–02 season. However, he got it back during the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final. The main goalkeeper, César Sánchez, got injured during the final minutes. Casillas came on and made several important saves. These saves helped Real Madrid win the Champions League 2–1 against Bayer Leverkusen.

Casillas playing for Real Madrid in 2009

The 2007–08 season was very successful for Casillas. He helped Real Madrid win their 31st La Liga title. He only let in 32 goals in 36 matches, which earned him the Zamora Trophy award for the best goalkeeper in the league. In 2008, he signed a contract that would keep him at the club until 2017. His great performances also earned him a spot in the UEFA Team of the Year.

In February 2009, Casillas broke a record for Real Madrid goalkeepers. He played his 454th match, becoming the club's most-capped goalkeeper at just 27 years old. There were rumors that other big clubs wanted to sign him, but Casillas said he did not want to leave his childhood club.

In October 2009, during a game against Sevilla, Casillas made an amazing save. He ran across his goal to stop a close-range shot. Other famous goalkeepers, like England's Gordon Banks, praised his incredible reflexes.

Captain and Later Years (2010–2015)

Casillas, wearing the captain's armband while playing for Real Madrid in 2010

For the 2010–11 season, Casillas became the first captain of Real Madrid. He won the IFFHS Best Goalkeeper award four times in a row. On 22 January 2012, he played his 600th match for Real Madrid. In May 2012, Casillas won his fifth La Liga title, his first as captain.

In December 2012, Casillas was surprisingly left out of a league match by coach José Mourinho. This started a difficult period between them. Casillas was sometimes benched in favor of other goalkeepers. Despite this, he won the IFFHS Best Goalkeeper Award for the fifth time in a row in 2012–13. This made him the only goalkeeper to ever win it five times in a row.

Casillas' gloves on display at the Santiago Bernabeu museum

When Carlo Ancelotti became Real Madrid's coach in 2013, Casillas was still often the second-choice goalkeeper in the league. However, he remained the first choice for the Champions League and Copa del Rey competitions. He set a new record of 962 minutes without letting in a goal in the Copa del Rey. In February 2014, he became the first goalkeeper to play in every round of the Copa del Rey without conceding a goal before the final. On 24 May 2014, Casillas captained Real Madrid to win the Champions League for the third time. They beat Atlético Madrid 4–1 in the final. This was Real Madrid's tenth Champions League title.

In the 2014–15 season, Casillas returned as the main goalkeeper. He won the 2014 UEFA Super Cup and the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup. In December 2014, he played his 700th game for Real Madrid.

Moving to Porto (2015–2019)

Casillas playing for Porto in 2015

On 11 July 2015, Casillas signed with Portuguese club Porto. He left Real Madrid after 25 years. Some people, including his parents, felt that Real Madrid's president was forcing him out.

Casillas played his first game for Porto on 15 August, keeping a clean sheet. In September 2015, he broke the record for most appearances in the Champions League, playing his 152nd game. He also broke the record for most clean sheets in Champions League history. In January 2016, he made a mistake that led to a goal in a league game.

On 11 March 2017, Casillas set a new personal record for clean sheets in one season with his sixteenth clean sheet. On 14 March, he played his 175th game in UEFA club competitions. This meant he had played more European club matches than any other player, passing Paolo Maldini.

In September 2017, Casillas played in his 19th consecutive Champions League season. This equaled a record held by Ryan Giggs. On 2 April 2018, Casillas played his 1,000th professional match. In May, he won his first trophy with Porto, as they won the league title. He signed a new contract with Porto for another year.

In August 2018, Casillas won the 2018 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira with Porto. He then broke Giggs' record by playing in his 20th consecutive Champions League season. In December, he became the first player to reach the knockout stage 19 times. He also became only the second player, after Cristiano Ronaldo, to win 100 Champions League matches. He played 31 league games that season, but his season ended early. On 1 May 2019, he had a heart attack during training. He was discharged from the hospital a few days later.

Retirement from Football

In July 2019, Casillas returned to pre-season training after his heart attack. Porto announced that he would take on a role with the club's coaching staff while he recovered. He was included in Porto's squad for the 2019–20 season. In September, he said he would wait until March 2020 to decide if he would return to playing or retire. He officially announced his retirement from professional football on 4 August 2020.

In December 2020, he was appointed as a deputy for the Real Madrid Foundation CEO.

International Career for Spain

Youth and Early Senior Career

Casillas first played for Spain at the under-17 level. At 16, he was the youngest player in the Spanish team that finished third in the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship. He later became captain of the U17 team. Two years later, he won the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship and the 1999 UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup.

Casillas made his full international debut for the senior Spain team on 3 June 2000, when he was 19. He was a substitute at UEFA Euro 2000. He was part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He became the main goalkeeper when Santiago Cañizares had to leave due to injury. At 21, Casillas was one of the youngest main goalkeepers in the tournament. He played a key role in Spain's progress, saving a penalty in regular time and two more in a penalty shootout against the Republic of Ireland. This earned him the nickname "The Saint."

European and World Cup Success

Casillas played in all of Spain's games during the UEFA Euro 2004 and was the first choice for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

With his Real Madrid teammate Raúl not in the squad for UEFA Euro 2008, Casillas became the captain. He saved two penalties in the quarter-finals against Italy, helping Spain win 4–2 in a shootout. Spain went on to win the competition, beating Germany 1–0 in the final. Casillas kept clean sheets in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final matches. On 29 June 2008, he became the first goalkeeper-captain to lift the UEFA European Championship trophy.

In October 2008, Casillas and backup goalkeeper Pepe Reina broke the national record for the longest time without letting in a goal. They went 710 minutes unbeaten. Casillas was ranked fourth in the 2008 Ballon d'Or award. He was also named the world's best goalkeeper by the IFFHS in 2008.

Casillas with the World Cup trophy during celebrations in Spain, July 2010

Casillas was Spain's starting goalkeeper during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. On 5 September 2009, he equaled the national record for 56 clean sheets. A few days later, he broke that record, becoming the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets for Spain. In November, he played his 100th game for Spain.

On 11 July 2010, Casillas captained Spain to their first ever World Cup title. They won 1–0 against the Netherlands in extra-time. He became only the third goalkeeper to captain a World Cup-winning team. He was named the tournament's best goalkeeper and won the Golden Glove. He kept a record five clean sheets and only let in two goals during the tournament. In the final, he made two crucial saves against Arjen Robben.

On 15 November 2011, Casillas became Spain's most-capped player. On 29 February 2012, he equaled Edwin van der Sar's record of 72 international clean sheets. On 30 May, he set the record for most international victories with 95 wins. On 6 June, he set the record for most international clean sheets with 74.

Euro 2012 and Later Tournaments

Casillas lifting the Euro 2012 trophy, the third consecutive major title for Spain, achieving a historic treble

Before Euro 2012, there were some tensions between players from rival clubs. Casillas, along with Carles Puyol and Xavi, helped to ease these tensions. On 1 July 2012, Casillas became the first player to reach 100 international wins for his country. Spain defeated Italy 4–0 in the Euro 2012 final, winning their third major international trophy in a row. He also set a record for 509 minutes without letting in a goal in the European Championship.

In June 2013, Casillas played for Spain in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Spain reached the final but lost 3–0 to Brazil.

In June 2014, Casillas was chosen to play for Spain in his fourth 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the first match, he made some mistakes as Spain lost 5–1 to the Netherlands. He apologized for his performance, calling it the worst of his career. Spain was eliminated from the World Cup after losing their second group game to Chile. Casillas was benched for Spain's final game.

On 5 September 2015, Casillas kept a clean sheet in his 100th game as Spain's captain. On 13 November, he kept his 100th international clean sheet for Spain. This made him the first goalkeeper ever to reach this milestone. He played his 167th game for Spain on 1 June 2016, becoming the most-capped European player. This was his final international appearance. He was a backup goalkeeper during UEFA Euro 2016 and did not play.

Casillas was not included in Spain's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Playing Style and Recognition

Casillas making a save in the UEFA Euro 2012 Final

Many experts and other goalkeepers believe Casillas is one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He earned the nickname "San Iker" because of his amazing and quick saves. In his best years, he was a spectacular and athletic goalkeeper. He was known for his incredible agility, fast reactions, and excellent shot-stopping. He was also good at his footwork, positioning, and rushing out to challenge attackers. He was also known for saving penalties.

Even though he was quiet, he was respected for his strong personality and calm attitude under pressure. He was also good at organizing his defense and leading his team from the back. Gianluigi Buffon, another famous goalkeeper, said Casillas was the best goalkeeper of his time with his hands. Casillas was also known for saving balls with his feet. In 2016, France Football magazine named him the fourth greatest goalkeeper in history.

Casillas was a talented player from a young age. He was praised for playing at a high level for a long time and for his hard work in training. However, because he wasn't very tall or physically strong, some experts sometimes criticized him. They said he struggled to control his area, especially against high balls, and was sometimes unsure when coming out for crosses. He also received criticism for some mistakes and less consistent performances later in his career. Although some said his foot skills were limited, his passing with both his hands and feet was generally reliable.

Outside Football

Personal Life

Iker Casillas was in a relationship with sports journalist Sara Carbonero from 2009 to 2021. Their first son, Martín, was born in January 2014. In November 2015, they announced they were expecting their second child. They got married in March 2016, and their second son, Lucas, was born in June 2016. They later separated in 2021.

In May 2019, Casillas had a heart attack during training. He was taken to the hospital and later said he was doing well. Later that month, it was announced that his wife was battling cancer.

In 2013, a street in his hometown of Móstoles was renamed Avenida de Iker Casillas in his honor.

Charity Work

In 2011, Casillas was chosen as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme. This means he helped promote important goals for global development.

He also has his own charity foundation called the Fundación Iker Casillas. In 2018, he attended a special social football event in Moscow called Football for Friendship.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Honours and Awards

Iker Casillas won many trophies and awards during his football career.

Club Honours

Real Madrid C

• Tercera División: 1998–99 (Group VII)

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11, 2013–14
• Supercopa de España: 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012
• UEFA Champions League: 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2013–14
• UEFA Super Cup: 2002, 2014
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2014
• Intercontinental Cup: 2002

Porto

• Primeira Liga: 2017–18
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2018

International Honours

Spain Youth Teams

• UEFA European U-16 Championship: 1997
• UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup: 1999
• FIFA World Youth Championship: 1999

Spain Senior Team

• FIFA World Cup: 2010
• UEFA European Championship: 2008, 2012

Individual Awards

• Bravo Award: 2000
• La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2000
• La Liga Zamora Trophy: 2007–08
• La Liga Best Goalkeeper: 2009, 2012
• La Liga Fair Play Award: 2012–13
• Primeira Liga Fair Play Award: 2017–18
• Dragões de Ouro Award – Porto Athlete of the Year: 2018
• Primeira Liga Goalkeeper of the Month: October/November 2018
• Primeira Liga Best Goalkeeper: 2018–19
• Primeira Liga Team of the Year: 2018–19
• Best European Goalkeeper: 2010
• IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• FIFA World Cup Golden Glove: 2010
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2010
• UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2008, 2012
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
• ESM Team of the Year: 2008
• Golden Foot: 2017
• Globe Soccer Awards – Player Career Award: 2020

Records

• Second-most appearances in the UEFA Champions League: 177 games
• Second-most clean sheets in the UEFA Champions League: 57 clean sheets
• Third-most victories in the UEFA Champions League: 101 wins
• Most consecutive seasons played in the UEFA Champions League: 20 seasons
• First player in Champions League history to reach the knockout phase 19 times
• First goalkeeper to win 100 UEFA Champions League matches
• Youngest goalkeeper to play in and win a UEFA Champions League final: 19 years and 4 days
• Most IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper Awards: 5 times (tied with Gianluigi Buffon and Manuel Neuer)
• Most appearances by a goalkeeper in the FIFPro World XI: 5 times
• Most appearances by a goalkeeper in the UEFA Team of the Year: 6 times
• Second-most appearances for the Spain national team: 167 games
• Most international clean sheets: 102 clean sheets
• Third-most international victories: 121 wins
• Fewest goals conceded by a FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper in one tournament: 2 goals in 7 games (in 2010)
• Most clean sheets in a single FIFA World Cup: 5 clean sheets (in 2010)
• Most FIFA World Cup tournaments played for Spain: 4 tournaments
• Longest unbeaten run at the UEFA European Championship: 509 minutes
• Most clean sheets at the UEFA European Championship: 9 clean sheets
• Most clean sheets in a single UEFA European Championship: 5 clean sheets (in 2012)
• Fewest goals conceded in a single UEFA European Championship: 1 goal (in 2012)
• Most penalty kicks saved in shoot-outs at the UEFA European Championship: 3 saves
• Only goalkeeper to stop penalties in two different FIFA World Cups (not including shoot-outs): 2002 and 2010

Decorations

Images for kids

• 

  Casillas in 2011