Iker Casillas officially announces end of his playing days

Posted August 04, 2020 7:00 am

By TALES AZZONI

Porto former goalkeeper Iker Casillas, center with hat, joins the players celebrating on the pitch at the end of the Portuguese League soccer match between FC Porto and Sporting CP at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Porto defeated Sporting 2-0 to clinch the championship with two rounds left to play. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira) The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - Former Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas officially announced the end of his playing days on Tuesday, more than a year after his last match.

The 39-year-old Casillas was with Portuguese club Porto but hadn't played competitively since a heart attack in May last year.

'œWhat is important is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination to which it takes you,'ť Casillas said on Twitter. 'œWith hard work, you will always arrive where you want. I can say, without a doubt, that it has been the path and the destination that I've always dreamed about.'ť

In a long letter, Casillas said announcing his retirement was one of the 'œhardest'ť and 'œmost difficult'ť days of his career.

His contract with Porto ended after the team defeated Benfica last weekend to win the Portuguese Cup. He didn't play but celebrated with his teammates and lifted the trophy.

Casillas joined Porto in 2015 after helping Real Madrid win five Spanish league titles and three Champions League trophies. He also helped Spain win one World Cup and two European Championships.

Real Madrid called Casillas 'œone of the biggest legends of our club and of world football'ť and 'œthe best goalkeeper in the history of Real Madrid and Spanish football.'ť

'œToday one of the most important footballers in our 118 years of history calls it a day as a professional player, a player we love and admire, a goalkeeper who has made the Real Madrid legacy bigger with his work and exemplary behavior both on and off the pitch,'ť Real Madrid said in a statement. 'œHe was formed here and defended our shirt for 25 years, becoming one of our most emblematic captains of all time.'ť

Casillas played 725 matches with Madrid's first team over 16 seasons, winning 19 titles. He joined the club at age 9.

With Porto, Casillas won two Portuguese league titles, in addition to the Portuguese Cup and a Super Cup.

He played 167 matches for Spain and won the Under-20 World Cup.

'œYou've always been an example to be followed on and off the field,'ť Barcelona defender Gerard PiquÃ© wrote on Twitter. 'œThank you for everything.'ť

Former Spain and Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos posted a photo of him receiving a kiss on the cheek from Casillas during a game.

'œSoccer thanks you, my friend," Ramos said. 'œA legend forever.'ť

Several clubs and players from other teams also sent messages honoring the former goalkeeper.

'œThey say competition makes us better than others but not perfect faced with ourselves. Maybe this futile pursuit of perfection is what made us who we are,'ť former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said. 'œ#Grac1as Iker, without you, everything would have been less meaningful.'ť

Casillas this year contemplated running for the presidency of the Spanish soccer federation but withdrew his candidacy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

Porto former goalkeeper Iker Casillas, center right, wearing a face mask, celebrates with the players on the pitch at the end of the Portuguese League soccer match between FC Porto and Sporting CP at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Porto defeated Sporting 2-0 to clinch the championship with two rounds left to play. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira) The Associated Press

Porto former goalkeeper Iker Casillas, center with hat, celebrates with the players on the pitch at the end of the Portuguese League soccer match between FC Porto and Sporting CP at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Porto defeated Sporting 2-0 to clinch the championship with two rounds left to play. (AP Photo/Luis Vieira) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Monday, May 6, 2019 file photo, Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas talks to journalists outside a hospital in Porto, Portugal. Former Spain and Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas said Monday June 15, 2020, he will not run for president of the Spanish soccer federation. Casillas said the main reason that led him to change his mind was 'the exceptional social, economic and health situation that our country is suffering.' (AP Photo/Luis Vieira, File) The Associated Press

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