Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas in the jersey of Real Madrid

Iker Casillas Fernández (born 20 May 1981 in Móstoles, Comunidad de Madrid ) is a Spanish football player. He is currently the captain of Real Madrid, but since his injury in early 2013, only substitute goalkeeper. He was awarded five times between 2008 and 2012 in a row as World's Best Goalkeeper of the Year. He is the first player to reach 100 international match victories.

Career

In the club

Casillas grew up in the Madrid suburb of Móstoles. The age of eight he began in the youth of Real Madrid. On 12 September 1999 he made his debut in the Primera División (Athletic Bilbao - Real Madrid 2:2 ). Earlier in his career he pushed the injured Bodo Illgner from the core team. Casillas benefited at a young age greatly from the obligation Illgners and said in 2000, " Bodo is an absolute top goalkeeper, from whom I have learned a lot and continue to learn a lot ." With the " Royal " Casillas won twice the Champions League ( 2000, 2002 ), five times the Spanish Championship ( 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2012 ), once the Spanish Cup (2011 ) and one Intercontinental Cup ( 2002). Casillas ' contract runs until 2017.

His strengths are his quick reactions and the one-on- one situation. He had slight weaknesses at the beginning of his career, however, while catching edges. This weakness had meant that he was not entirely uncontroversial in its early years and his place had to vacate for Mr César Sánchez in the meantime. In the final of the Champions League 2001 /02 against Bayer 04 Leverkusen he came in for the injured César into the goal and secured with some fine saves in a 2-1 victory. Through this power, he established himself permanently in the gate of his team. Because of its many spectacular saves he wears for several years in the Spanish media the name " San Iker " / " El santo de Móstoles " (English: Saint Iker / The Holy of Móstoles). Because of his achievements, he was five times elected by the IFFHS since 2008 in succession to the World's Best Goalkeeper of the Year.

In December 2012, Casillas was demoted by coach Jose Mourinho to replace goalkeeper and replaced by Antonio Adán. On January 23, 2013, Casillas broke during a cup game a metacarpal bone, and he failed two months. Due to his injury committed Real Madrid shortly thereafter Diego López. After Casillas ' recovery Mourinho continued to hold fast to López, which led to controversies between coaches, players and fans. Even under Mourinho's successor Carlo Ancelotti remained Casillas at the beginning of the 2013/14 season only a place on the bench.

In the National Team

Even in his youth Casillas guarded the gate of the Spanish national team. With the U- 16, he won the European Championship in 1997, while he secured his team's victory in the penalty shootout against Austria. In the same year he reached the third place in the U- 17 World Cup.

At the Junior World Cup Nigeria 1999, he conquered Spain with the first title of the country at a FIFA tournament. Casillas even the location of the Home goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia had to share, but impressed in particular in the quarterfinals, which could decide in a penalty shoot-out against Ghana for the Iberians. In the same year he also won the UEFA - CAF Meridian Cup.

For the Spanish national team, he participated already at the European Championship 2000 ( as replacement goalkeeper), the 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, World Cup 2006, Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. At the European Championships in 2008 and Euro 2012, he was appointed captain of the Spanish national champions. On 11 July 2010 he won the national team further the football World Cup in South Africa. In the finals, Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 after extra time. In this game, he saved twice in one-on - one situations against Arjen Robben.

He is the first goalkeeper who could hold in two World Championships in the running game ever missed a penalty: 2002 in the second round against Ireland in 2010 in the quarter final against Paraguay.

On 14 November 2009, he graduated from the match against Argentina ( Full 2:1) in Madrid his 100th game. On 15 November 2011, he played his 127th international match against Costa Rica and Andoni Zubizarreta as Spain's solved most capped player from. On 30 May 2012, he won his 95th international game, beating the record levels of Ahmed Hassan / Egypt ( still active ) and Lilian Thuram / France (1994 to 2008), who have won 94 games. In the European Championship final in 2012 with the Spanish team he managed to defend the title, while his 100th victory. In addition, he is co- duels since 990 minutes without conceding a goal.

Achievements

With the national

U-16 European Football Championships: 1997
Junior football world champions: 1999
UEFA - CAF Meridian Cup: 1999
European Champions: 2008, 2012
World Champion: 2010
Confederations Cup: Finalist 2013

With the club

Spanish Cup: 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2012
Spanish Cup: 2011
Spanish Supercup: 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012
UEFA Champions League: 2000, 2002
UEFA Super Cup: 2002
World Cup: 2002

Personal Awards

Trofeo Bravo for the best young players in Europe: 2000
UEFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
FIFA / FIFPro World XI: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Trofeo Zamora for the goalkeeper with least goals against the Spanish League: 2008
Appointment to the UEFA All- Star team the 2008 European Football Championship
World's Best Goalkeeper: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 ( as the first goalkeeper five times in a row)
Best Goalkeeper of World Cup 2010 ( Golden Glove )
Appointment to the FIFA all-star team of the Football World Cup 2010
Appointment to the UEFA All- Star team the 2012 European Football Championship
Prince of Asturias Award (Sport) in 2012 together with Xavi

Others

He is engaged to the Spanish TV journalist Sara Carbonero, who interviewed him after every game of Spain at the 2010 World Cup. On January 3, 2014, their son Martín Casillas Carbonero was born. Due to its success, a road was in his birthplace Móstoles named after him ( " Avenida de Iker Casillas" ).

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