Casillas calls time on trophy-laden career 18 months after heart attack

Spanish and Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas has announced his retirement from professional soccer, hanging up his boots at the age of 39.

Casillas announced his retirement on Tuesday afternoon, after being sidelined for 18-months due to a heart problem. He suffered a heart attack during a training session with Porto in May last year but returned to football after a swift recovery.

Despite returning to training after his heart attack, the Spanish World Cup winner did not feature for Porto in an official game again with the club preferring to use him in a mentorship role despite being on their books as a player.

Casillas hangs up his gloves

On Tuesday afternoon, Casillas announced that he had made the decision to retire from football after a trophy-laden career that saw him achieve great success across Spain and Portugal and on the international stage.

“The important thing is the path you travel and the people who accompany you, not the destination to which it takes you… I can say, without hesitation, that it has been the dream path and the dream destination,” Casillas shared on Twitter, in Spanish.

Lo importante es el camino que recorres y la gente que te acompaña, no el destino al que te lleva, porque eso con trabajo y esfuerzo, llega solo y creo que puedo decir, sin dudar, que ha sido el camino y el destino soñado #Grac1as pic.twitter.com/xb8ucs9REh

— Iker Casillas (@IkerCasillas) August 4, 2020

The footballing world reacts to Casillas’ retirement decision

They 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. #Grac1as Iker, without you, everything would have been less meaningful. pic.twitter.com/wQ3MznmeGP

— Gianluigi Buffon (@gianluigibuffon) August 4, 2020

A #WorldCup winner, @SeFutbol icon and true goalkeeping great has announced his retirement 🧤

Congratulations on a fantastic playing career, @IkerCasillas, and good luck for the next chapter! 👏 pic.twitter.com/3FQZVvtx5O

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) August 4, 2020

🇪🇸 Three-time UCL winner & legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas has announced his retirement from football 🧤#UCL pic.twitter.com/Z6UuVpPNtX

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 4, 2020

I say Iker Casillas, you say ______________ pic.twitter.com/szxQyGgtyM

— GOAL (@goal) August 4, 2020

Casillas’ trophy cabinet

Casillas debuted for the Los Blancos in 1999 at the age of 18 and went on to make 725 appearances over 16 seasons at the club. He also made a massive 167 caps for the Spanish national team during the country’s Golden Era.

Real Madrid

• Five La Liga titles
• Two Copas del Rey
• Four Supercopas de Espana
• Three Champions Leagues
• Two UEFA Super Cups
• Three FIFA Club World Cups

FC Porto

• One Primeira Liga

Spain

• Two European Championships
• One Fifa World Cup

24 trophies.@IkerCasillas won it all 🏆 pic.twitter.com/4P9d9DdSto

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 4, 2020

Casillas is now tipped to take on an administration position off the field, having announced his decision to run for the presidency of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), he will undoubtedly go down as one of the best goalkeepers and leaders football has ever seen.