One day at the end of November 1997, Raul, Carlos, Suker, Sans, Mijatovic and Redondo were laughing and laughing on a chartered flight from Real Madrid to Oslo. In the midst of this group of stars, a slightly young strange little man quietly blended in, and his resolute eyes seemed to herald the arrival of a new era.
In the past 20 years, a generation has passed away, and the immature teenager of that year has now become a giant, leaving an immortal legend that is widely spread. Igor Casillas, the style of an absolute superstar, an icon of the times. A native of Madrid, Casillas joined Real Madrid's academy at the age of 9 and began his legendary football career. Despite playing in the Champions League with the first team, Casillas did not immediately establish himself as a regular in the field. Coach Heynckes, who once rocked the world, set a long-term development plan for him, and Ilgener, who is already late in his career, has also played a key role in teaching. In the 1999 00 season, Casillas officially became a member of the Real Madrid first team and made his debut at the San Mamés Stadium on 12 September 1999.
Casillas played 12 Champions League games with his squad this season, keeping a clean sheet in the final against Valencia. Not only did he become the youngest goalkeeper in Champions League history, but he was also voted UEFA's Rookie of the Year. The Galactic has gone through a number of head coaches, and whether it is a peak or a trough, Casillas's main position has never wavered. After Buyo, Miguel Angel, Juanito Alonso, Raymond and Ilgener, the legend of the Real Madrid goalkeeper has been given a whole new dimension by Casillas. As the anchor of the galaxy, Casillas helps the team in good times and backs them up in bad times.
He may not make headlines as often as a star striker, but Casillas has never lacked heroic stories of a single-handedly savior. With the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Figo, Raul, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo, Casillas has been accustomed to making mantles for others after more than a decade of silent contributions. Nipping the crisis in the bud may be the way of the great goalkeeper. Casillas has created countless legends with his miraculous saves, winning almost every honour and trophy in nearly 1,000 club and international matches.
During Jose Mourinho's time at Real Madrid, he caused displeasure from the manager due to an exchange with Xavi, which marked a turning point in Casillas' career. However, he regained the trust of the manager with his own efforts. On May 2, 2015, Casillas ended his years at Real Madrid with his final match for Real Madrid. In the history of modern football, goalkeepers have been in a very personal but awkward position, and they have never really been favored by individual awards. However, Casillas' greatness is unquestionable. As a Grand Slam captain, he is probably the first goalkeeper in the team's honorary history, witnessing the ** era of Real Madrid and Spain. San's all-round skill and dedicated professionalism make him the last and most reliable defence for Real Madrid and the Matadors. His talent for solo and penalty kicks is at the top of his game, as well as his ability to intercept crosses and instigate attacks.
In addition, Casillas also has strong mental attributes and willpower, which is in line with the Juanito spirit that fans talk about. In 2020, Casillas returned to Porto, where he reaped a lot of honours. Although his career was changed by a heart attack, he is still active in football and actively participates in various charity activities. From that young boy to today's successful retirement, Casillas's career achievements have reached the pinnacle, and his legend lives on.