FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

It is often said that being a goalkeeper is a thankless task, but prodigious displays between the sticks by Iker Casillas have seen him rise to the top of world football in record time.
Casillas was born in Mostoles (Madrid) on 20 May 1981, and the 25-year-old has already acquired a medal collection the envy of many an older man. Casillas claims that he only became a goalkeeper under duress, stuck between the goalposts while his football-mad father peppered him with shots. The practice certainly came in handy as the eight-year-old Casillas was soon snapped up by Spanish giants Real Madrid following a successful trial at the Bernabeu.

Focused, cool under pressure, agile, and blessed with lightning reflexes, Casillas is solidity personified, a defender’s dream. Fearless and quick off his line, Casillas specialises in one-on-one situations and is not afraid to give his senior defensive colleagues a good ear-bashing, should the situation arise.

At the age of 17, Casillas was pulled out of his high-school art class with the news that he was in the squad for Madrid’s upcoming UEFA Champions League game. He may have been an unused substitute on that occasion, but within a year he would be an established member of the first-team squad. Casillas continued to impress the Madrid coaching staff, gradually gaining the edge in the battle for a starting role as Los Blancos won the Primera Liga title. Having started the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League Final in Glasgow as a substitute, Casillas leapt off the bench to replace his injured colleague and almost single-handedly kept Madrid in the game, pulling off a series of incredible saves to deny a rampant Bayer Leverkusen side.

Youth success
His talent did not go unnoticed by the national team coaching staff, who were quick to select him for Spain’s youth categories. Casillas was part of a Spanish squad that took gold at the FIFA World Youth Championship Nigeria 1999, although he was not the first-choice goalkeeper.

Casillas made his debut for the senior side on 3 June 2000 in a friendly match prior to UEFA Euro 2000, although he would remain second in line behind Valencia’s Santiago Canizares at the finals. He made the Spanish number one jersey his own in qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, playing in nearly every game for La Furia Roja (The Red Fury). At the tournament, he became a key figure in the Spanish line-up as they reached the quarter-finals by defeating the Republic of Ireland on penalties. However, there was little Casillas could do when Spain went out against hosts Korea Republic in the last eight.

Having won the hearts and minds of followers of Spanish football, it would be his performances during the 2004/05 campaign that earned him the nickname ‘Saint Iker’. Casillas conceded just 30 goals in 36 appearances for Real Madrid that season, and has become something of a life insurance policy in recent years for a Madrid side not known for its defensive solidity. At national team level, he continues to be Spain’s undisputed first-choice, despite fierce competition from the likes of Pepe Reina, Víctor Valdes and Santiago Canizares.

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UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

Still a youngster in goalkeeping terms, Iker Casillas has gained a huge reputation in European football. A shot-stopper par excellence, the Real Madrid CF player is gradually developing the commanding presence in his area which could make him an all-time great.

National team
Following his international debut against Sweden, Casillas was an unused substitute at UEFA EURO 2000™. However, he was first choice two years later at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, and enjoyed hero status after Spain knocked out the Republic of Ireland in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the quarter-finals. Casillas played in Spain's entire 13-game UEFA EURO 2004™ campaign, and showed excellent form in subsequent 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

Club
Born in Madrid in 1981, Casillas' entire career has been spent with his hometown club, whom he joined as an eight-year old. His breakthrough came in 1999/00 when, still taking public transport to training as he had no driving licence, he replaced the injured Bodo Illgner and played in Madrid's UEFA Champions League triumph in an all-Spanish final against Valencia CF. Loss of form subsequently allowed César Sánchez to take the No1 jersey but Casillas reclaimed the limelight after replacing the veteran in the 2001/02 Champions League final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and preserving Madrid's 2-1 lead with a series of fine saves. He was first choice again as Madrid claimed the 2002/03 Spanish title.

2004/05: Widely lauded as the team’s best player, a smattering of outstanding performances saw him hailed as 'Saint Iker' in the national press, conceding only 30 goals in 36 Primera División matches for the runners-up.

Did you know?
Casillas' father almost won a small fortune on the football pools but young Iker forgot to hand in the winning slip.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

Still only a youngster in goalkeeping terms, Iker Casillas has none the less gained a huge reputation in European football. A shot-stopper par excellence, the Real Madrid CF player is gradually developing the commanding presence in his area which could yet see him become an all-time great.

National team
Following his international debut against Sweden, Casillas was an unused substitute at UEFA EURO 2000™. However, he was first choice two years later at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, and enjoyed hero status after Spain knocked out the Republic of Ireland in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the quarter-finals.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
Casillas played in all eight Group 6 fixtures, conceding just four goals. He then kept goal in both legs of the play-off victory against Norway, keeping a clean sheet in Oslo.

Club
Born in Madrid in 1981, Casillas' entire career has been spent with his hometown club, whom he joined as an eight-year old. Part of the Spanish teams which won the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup and FIFA World Youth Championship in 1999, his breakthrough year came in 1999/2000, when he replaced the injured Bodo Illgner and played in Madrid's UEFA Champions League triumph in an all-Spanish final against Valencia CF. Loss of form subsequently allowed César Sánchez to take the No1 jersey but Casillas reclaimed the limelight after substituting the veteran in the 2001/02 Champions League final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and preserving Madrid's 2-1 lead with a series of fine saves. Again the first choice in 2002/03, an injury-free season saw Casillas play in 15 of his side's Champions League games as well as all 38 Primera División matches as Madrid reclaimed the Spanish championship.

2003/04: Was virtually ever-present as Madrid relinquished their crown and lost the Spanish Cup final, missing just one league game.

Did you know?
Because he did not have a driving licence, Casillas was the only Madrid player to use public transport to get to training sessions in the 1999/00 season.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.