Iker Casillas
Real’s greatest keeper set for shock return
Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas is expected to make a special return to the Bernabeu as an adviser, five years after an acrimonious exit from the club. The 39-year-old announced his retirement from football last month, having spent the final five years of his illustrious playing career at Porto. Unfortunately for Porto and Casillas, he didn’t make a single appearance in his final year at the club after suffering a shock heart attack in training early last year.
Addressing his 91. million followers on Twitter, the three-time Champions League winner said: “The important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination to which it takes you. I think I can say, without hesitation, that it has been the path and the dream destination.”
While he’ll be remembered by most for his exploits for Real Madrid and Spain, Casillas also had great success in Portugal. He made 156 appearances for Porto after joining in 2015, winning the title in 2017-18 and Portuguese Super Cup in 2018. He was given a role on the club’s coaching staff during his recovery, but never made a return to the pitch during last season’s doublewinning campaign. His popularity was summed up by a social media campaign set up by supporters in a bid to get him one final appearance before his retirement. Sadly, Casillas couldn’t feature due to medical reasons, but it’s not the first time that he’s been denied a fairy-tale ending.
Real Madrid released a statement on their website shortly after the goalkeeper’s retirement referring to him as “one of the greatest legends of our club and world football”, but his exit from Los Blancos certainly didn’t live up to that title. Casillas made 725 appearances for Real during a 16-year spell at the club, winning three Champions League titles and five La Liga crowns. However, after a couple of difficult seasons under Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, Casillas was left to say his goodbyes alone in a press conference – far from the rousing send-off worthy of a player who has played more Champions League games than any other.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was widely criticised by the club’s supporters at the time, but looks set to try to redeem himself by bringing the former icon back to the club five years on. According to reports, Casillas will return to the Bernabeu as an adviser, working directly under Perez.
It seems like the logical next step for a player who is undoubtedly the best goalkeeper in the 118-year history of Madrid. However, at one stage, it seemed as though Casillas might be set for a different career. He had considered the possibility of moving into football politics and running for president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). If it wasn’t for the coronavirus pandemic, this may well have been an avenue he pursued.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos led the tributes to the goalkeeper following his retirement. The former scored 17 of his 26 Clasico goals past Casillas, while the latter is the only player to have made more appearances for Spain. The pair were close team-mates for club and country, forming the heart of the defence that won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships.