7 best Iker Casillas moments at Real Madrid

Casillas Young Real Madrid

So it has ended. After 25 years, Iker Casillas breaks his marriage with Real Madrid. At one point, this was unthinkable. The Spaniard wearing a shirt other than that of Real Madrid is something that no-one could possibly have imagined.Until now.After a brisk saga that was full of twists and turns, Casillas’ move to Porto has been made official. If anyone watched closely, then the legendary ’keeper’s move has been on the cards for the last 2 years. After that hand injury, his career took a severe decline, one that has see him go out of the club.However, we will leave the sad part for another day and focus on the best moments of his Real Madrid career for now.

#1 First call up

Casillas Young Real Madrid

The classroom was filled with teenage students; it was a technical drawing class. Suddenly, a 16 year old kid was escorted out of the classroom and was flown straight to Norway for a Champions League clash against Rosenberg.

That kid was Iker Casillas.

“They pulled me out of school because Bodo Illgner and Santi Cañizares were injured and they needed me as a second keeper,” Casillas said of that day back in November 1997.

“I was taken to the headmaster, who by the way, was a big Madrid fan, and before I knew it I was on a school minibus going home, where my mum was frantically packing my bag for me. The other kids had no idea why I had left the class and there was no Twitter or mobile phones to tell them what was happening.”

Casillas didn’t make his debut in that clash, but it was a sign of things to come. When Rea Madrid take you out of your classroom for a Champions League trip, you know you are special.

#2 Debut against Athletic Bilbao

Casillas Debut

San Mames was where it all began. 12th September, 1999, Iker Casillas put on the gloves for the first team for the first time as he guarded the goal for Real Madrid.

It was the first of many times that he would stand in front of the net as its watchful protector.

Of his debut at San Mames, he said: "That's the greatest football memory I have. I went from playing in the second division B playoffs with Real Madrid C to being at San Mames.”

"You can imagine how different it was: from three journalists covering the match, there were now 50. From playing in front of a crowd of 500 to playing in front of 50,000. It was a brutal change."

A change to which he adapted to really well.

#3 Youngest Champions League final player

Casillas 2000

On 24th May 2000, a new record was set in the Champions League and it was from none other than Iker Casillas. While guarding the sticks against Valencia in the final of the Champions League, he became the youngest ever goalkeeper to play in the final of the tournament – a record that still stands to this day.

Funnily enough, Casillas was not the first choice keeper for the club at the time. A string of poor performances had seen him relegated to a back-up position as Cesar Sanchez took over. As fate would have it, Sanchez was injured on that day and Casillas stepped up to redeem himself.

The first of his three Champions League titles, the Spaniard was in goal for the Blancos as they took on Valencia in the Champions League final in 2000. The outcome of the game was a comfortable 3-0 win for the Whites with Casillas keeping a clean sheet in the process.

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#4 Final moment save to ensure La Novena

Casillas Zidane

This game is remembered for that great volley from Zinedine Zidane. After Roberto Carlos floated in a cross in the box, the Frenchman showed unreal guile to smash the ball into the net with a great volley.

However, that was not the only moment that brought home Real Madrid’s 9th European title.

In the final moments of the game, Iker Casillas – who was substituted in for Cesar – made three tremendous saves in the 7th minute of injury time, two from Carsten Ramelow’s shots, to ensure that his team took the trophy home within the 90 minutes of normal.

That was the turning point in his career as he became the first-choice goalkeeper of Real Madrid thereafter.

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#5 Unreal save against Sevilla

Casillas Save

If one asks any Madridista about her/his opinion on Iker Casillas’ best save as a Real Madrid goalkeeper, that person will unanimously choose this save against Sevilla. Or, at least most will.

This was a game that Real Madrid lost 2-1, but was fondly remember by the fans as the game where Casillas made his best save of his career.

When Alvaro Negredo drilled in a cross from the right for Diego Perotti, the Argetine – who was on the far post – looked dead certain to score. However, as it can be seen in the video, the Spain captain’s reaction time to save Diego Perotti’s shot was exemplary and perhaps no-one else could have made that save.

The save left Perotti stunned as he couldn’t fathom how Casillas went across towards the far post to make that save quickly. And that is why he was the best goalkeeper for a long period of time.

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#6 Becoming first-team captain

Casillas Captain

This came after some heartbreak. As Raul announced his departure from the club – putting many fans in depression – the armband was given to Casillas, who was already captaining Spain at the time.

This was the only positive outcome from Raul’s departure as the 34-year-old shotstopper went on to lead his team to a Champions League and a league title in his time as the captain.

He captained the side for five years and Madrid enjoyed relative success in those 5 years and would perhaps have won more had it not been for Florentino Perez’s gung-ho approach in changing his managers more frequently than clothes.

#7 Winning the elusive La Decima

Casillas La Decima

Personally, this wasn’t a great game for him as he made a blunder which almost cost Real Madrid the title. However, that doesn’t change the fact he is, and will forever be, the captain that lifted the tenth Champions League title.

Real Madrid’s obsession with winning the tenth was apparent to everyone. They spent millions and millions to ensure that accumulated a starting XI full of star players – increasing their chances to dominate proceedings.

But they had to wait a painful 11 years before that coveted title made its place to the trophy case and Iker Casillas was the one who held it first.

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Edited by Staff Editor