143-410: Iker Casillas Fernández ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈikeɾ kaˈsiʎas feɾˈnandeθ] ; born 20 May 1981) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and currently works as a football commentator . Popularly dubbed " San Iker " ("Saint Iker") for his ability to produce miraculous saves, Casillas is widely considered to be one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He
286-465: A central midfielder for CD Móstoles . The brothers' forenames are of Basque origin due to a family connection to the region: their paternal grandfather – an officer in the Civil Guard – was posted to Bilbao and settled in the city, their father grew up there as a result and Iker also lived in the area as a small child before the family relocated to Madrid. On one occasion as a young child, when he
429-601: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
572-631: A 1–0 away defeat to Juventus in the second leg of the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League , overtaking Paolo Maldini as the player with the most appearances in European club matches . On 13 September, Casillas equalled Ryan Giggs 's record of playing in 19 consecutive UEFA Champions League campaigns when he appeared in Porto's 3–1 home defeat to Beşiktaş in the 2017–18 edition of the tournament . On 2 April 2018, Casillas played his 1,000th match as
715-436: A 1–0 win over Germany in the final on 29 June. Casillas kept clean sheets in all of the quarter-final, semi-final and final matches, with Sweden's first round goal by Zlatan Ibrahimović being the last one scored against him. On 29 June 2008, Casillas became the first goalkeeper-captain to lift the UEFA European Championship trophy when Spain beat Germany in the final. In October 2008, Casillas and back-up Pepe Reina broke
858-653: A 5–0 win over Belgium in a qualifying match for the World Cup , Casillas equalled Andoni Zubizarreta's national record of 56 clean sheets, and during the team's next match, against Estonia on 9 September 2009, he surpassed Zubizarreta as the record holder for the most Spanish international clean sheets (this being achieved in Casillas' 98th appearance for the national team, while Zubizarreta made 126 before his retirement). Two months later, Casillas made his 100th appearance for Spain in its friendly win over Argentina , making him only
1001-488: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
1144-515: A World Cup winning side (along with Gianpiero Combi in 1934 and Dino Zoff in 1982 ; the feat was later also achieved by Hugo Lloris in 2018 ). He was voted the tournament's best goalkeeper, being named to the 2010 World Cup Dream Team, and was also awarded the Golden Glove . In the course of the finals in South Africa, he kept a joint–record five clean sheets – including in all four games in
1287-501: A captain of Real Madrid, with a 3–0 win in Bilbao. On 22 December 2012, Casillas was dropped by José Mourinho for a Liga match against Málaga in favour of Antonio Adán . This was the beginning of a series of sour disagreements between the Portuguese coach and the player, some of which, along with other internal affairs, were allegedly aired to the press by Casillas himself. This generated
1430-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
1573-598: A clean sheet in a 3–0 win over Vitória de Guimarães at the Estádio do Dragão . On 29 September 2015, he overtook Xavi to become the player with the most appearances in the Champions League , making his record 152nd Champions League appearance in a 2–1 home win over Chelsea . That season, Casillas also broke Edwin van der Sar 's record for the most clean sheets in Champions League history, keeping his 51st clean sheet in
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#17328630975401716-564: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
1859-497: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
2002-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
2145-464: A goal in that year's European Championship , keeping five consecutive clean sheets and breaking the longstanding tally of 494 minutes set by Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff . The only goal he conceded, scored by Antonio Di Natale, came in Spain's opening match of the tournament, a 1–1 draw against eventual runners-up Italy. Casillas then continued his new record unbeaten streak with Spain to 817 minutes, until it
2288-559: A joint–record five clean sheets, winning the Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Spain became the first nation to retain the European Championship, winning the title again in 2012 , where he set the record for most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in the competition (509). In 2014, Casillas became one of six players to represent Spain at four World Cups . In 2008, Casillas placed fourth overall in
2431-628: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
2574-519: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
2717-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
2860-480: A photo of himself working out in the club's gym on Instagram . He resumed training on 4 November. On 4 August 2020, Casillas officially announced his retirement from professional football. In July, he was reported to have returned to Real Madrid to work as an advisor for Florentino Pérez . In December 2020, he was appointed as the deputy to the Real Madrid Foundation CEO. Casillas debuted for Spain at
3003-422: A professional in Porto's 2–0 loss at Belenenses . In May, he won his first trophy with the club as they won the league title for the first time since 2013. The 2017–18 Primeira Liga title was confirmed after Sporting CP and Benfica tied their respective match. On 17 May 2018, he renewed his contract with Porto for another year. On 4 August, Casillas started in Porto's 3–1 victory over Desportivo das Aves in
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#17328630975403146-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
3289-419: A role with the club's coaching staff as he continued his recovery. In August, he was named in Porto's squad for the 2019–20 season. In September, he shared the results of his medical tests on social media; at the end of the month, he stated that he would wait until March of the following year to see how he is progressing with his recovery before deciding whether to return to playing or retire. In October, he posted
3432-458: A serious injury to Casillas, Mourinho signed Diego López from Sevilla. López was named first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Adán and kept his place in the team even after Casillas had returned from injury. After the 2012–13 season, Mourinho left Madrid and soon after his departure, Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta criticised him for benching Casillas. In the middle of 2013, it was announced that Carlo Ancelotti would be Real Madrid's head coach for
3575-500: A shift in the opinion of certain sectors of Real Madrid's fans, who gave Casillas the nickname " topor " (a portmanteau of " topo ", and " portero ", Spanish for " mole " and "goalkeeper", respectively). During the 2012–13 season , Casillas won the IFFHS Best Goalkeeper Award for the fifth consecutive time, making him the only goalkeeper in history to have ever won that award five times (in a row). In January 2013, after
3718-567: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
3861-707: A strong goalkeeper, leaps well, good diving in either direction... between the posts he moves like a cat." In 2016, Casillas was named the fourth greatest goalkeeper in history by France Football . A precocious talent in his youth, Casillas has drawn praise for his longevity and consistency at the top level, as well as his discipline in training; despite his reputation and goalkeeping ability, however, due to his lack of notable height and strong physical attributes, he has been criticised at times by pundits for struggling to command his area, in particular against aerial threats, and for his unsteady handling and indecisiveness when coming out to claim crosses, as he often preferred to punch
4004-554: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
4147-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
4290-613: A youngster, and due to his ability to produce acrobatic and decisive saves. In his prime, he was a spectacular, well-rounded, and athletic keeper, who was known in particular for his outstanding agility, reflexes, consistency and shot-stopping, as well as his foot-work, positioning between the posts, concentration, and speed when rushing off his line in one on one situations; he has also stood out for his penalty-saving abilities. In spite of his reserved character, he has been highly regarded for his strong personality, calm composure under pressure, ability to organise his defence, and leadership from
4433-485: Is capable of sending the ball into deep areas of the pitch with his long throws and kicks with his left foot. In January 2012, Casillas agreed a sponsorship deal with Adidas to wear their Response goalkeeping gloves and Predator football boots. The move to Adidas ended a long running association for Casillas with Reebok , which started in 2004. In February 2005, Casillas was the football face of Reebok's "I Am What I Am" global integrated advertising campaign that linked all
Iker Casillas - Misplaced Pages Continue
4576-492: Is currently the second most capped player in the history of the Spain national team . Following his full international debut at the senior level on 3 June 2000 against Sweden (at 19 years and 14 days), Casillas was an unused substitute at UEFA Euro 2000 . He was part of the roster for the 2002 FIFA World Cup , initially as the understudy to Santiago Cañizares . Coincidentally, he became first-choice when Cañizares had to withdraw from
4719-437: Is known for his athleticism, quick reactions and outstanding shot-stopping ability. Having spent the majority of his career at Real Madrid , Casillas is one of the few players to achieve over 1,000 professional career matches , and also holds the record for the most clean sheets for the Spain national team . Currently, he works for RTVE , Movistar Plus+ and Azteca Deportes . At club level, Casillas started his career with
4862-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
5005-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
5148-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
5291-800: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
5434-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
5577-625: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
5720-451: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
5863-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
Iker Casillas - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
6149-452: Is to win and has been on the same great level for so many years now, which is possibly hardest of all for a goalkeeper. Spain almost never concede goals and Casillas is the main reason for that." Widely considered by pundits, as well as both former and current goalkeeping colleagues, as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Casillas was given the nickname " San Iker " ("Saint Iker") throughout his career, for his precocious performances as
6292-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
6435-400: The 2013–14 season . Real Madrid started the season with a 2–1 victory over Real Betis in which Casillas was benched once again. He made his first start in 238 days in the Champions League group stage match against Galatasaray , but was injured in the 14th minute after Sergio Ramos caught him with an accidental elbow as the goalkeeper came from his line to make a routine catch. Despite being
6578-422: The 2018 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira . He surpassed Giggs' record during the 2018–19 season, appearing in his 20th consecutive UEFA Champions League campaign. On 11 December, Casillas, in a 3–2 away win over Galatasaray, became the first player to reach the knock-out stage 19 times, and become only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo to win 100 Champions League matches. He made 31 league appearances throughout
6721-655: The Ballon d'Or , and has been selected for the UEFA Team of the Year six consecutive times from 2007 to 2012, a record for a goalkeeper. Casillas was also selected in the FIFPro World XI a record five times for a goalkeeper, and was named as the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper a record five times, alongside Gianluigi Buffon and Manuel Neuer . He was named as the second-best goalkeeper of
6864-515: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
7007-636: The Estadio Carlos Tartiere in Oviedo . On 13 November, Casillas kept his 100th international clean sheet with Spain in a 2–0 friendly win over England, in Alicante, becoming the first goalkeeper ever – male or female – to reach this landmark. He equalled the Latvian Vitālijs Astafjevs ' European record of 166 caps on 27 March 2016 by playing in a friendly against Romania . On 31 May, Casillas
7150-492: The FIFA Club World Cup later that year, making his 700th appearance for Madrid on 20 December 2014, in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup Final , as Real Madrid defeated San Lorenzo 2–0. In May 2015, Casillas played in the Champions League semi-finals against Juventus, in which his team lost 3–2 on aggregate. "You've always been a Real Madrid icon, but above all you've been one of the best representatives of our position on
7293-567: The Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass
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#17328630975407436-659: The Primeira Liga and a Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira title. While at Porto, he broke the record for most consecutive seasons played in the UEFA Champions League (20) and amassed the most appearances in the competition (177). He ended his playing career in February 2020, after almost a year on the sidelines following a heart attack he suffered during a training session with Porto in May 2019. With 167 international caps, Casillas has
7579-466: The Real Madrid youth team , eventually gaining promotion to the main team in 1999, where he became the youngest goalkeeper to play in the final of the Champions League , and to win the title, at 19 years and four days. Casillas became the first choice goalkeeper at Real Madrid, winning two Champions Leagues and La Liga titles in his first three seasons, establishing himself as one of the best goalkeepers in
7722-500: The Zamora Trophy . On 14 February 2008, he and club captain Raúl were awarded contracts for life; Casillas signed a contract extension that would keep him at the club until 2017, with an automatic extension if he played 30 competitive matches during the final season of the contract and a buy-out clause of £113 million. His performances earned him a spot in the UEFA Team of the Year for
7865-762: The under-17 level . At age 16, he was the youngest player in the Spanish squad that placed third at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt. He was later made captain of the U17s. Two years later, he went on to win the FIFA World Youth Championship and the UEFA–CAF Meridian Cup that same year. Initially second-choice, he soon worked his way up to first-choice and eventually earned his first senior cap following some brilliant performances at club level. Casillas
8008-620: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
8151-562: The 21st century, behind Gigi Buffon, and the second-best goalkeeper of the past 25 years by the same organisation. Casillas was born on 20 May 1981 in Móstoles , province of Madrid , to José Luis Casillas, a civil servant in the Ministry of Education , and María del Carmen Fernández González, a hairdresser. Both his parents had moved from their home of Navalacruz , Ávila . Casillas has a brother, seven years younger, named Unai, who used to play as
8294-546: The 82nd minute mark. This set the record for most international victories with 95 giving Casillas yet another record to his name. On 6 June, In Spain's 1–0 win over China PR , Casillas set the record for most international clean sheets with 74. Prior to Euro 2012 , there had been growing tensions in the dressing room among Spain's players who played for rival clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid; this led manager Vicente del Bosque to declare that any player who carried this hostility with them at international level would be dropped from
8437-570: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
8580-861: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
8723-464: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
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#17328630975408866-470: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
9009-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
9152-650: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
9295-475: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
9438-530: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
9581-480: The World Cup. He received criticism for his role in Chile's second goal, where he punched Alexis Sánchez 's free kick into the path of the goalscorer Charles Aránguiz . On 23 June, Casillas was left on the bench for Spain's final game against Australia , with Pepe Reina playing instead. On 5 September 2015, Casillas kept a clean sheet in his 100th game as Spain's captain, a 2–0 Euro 2016 qualifying win over Slovakia at
9724-564: The back throughout his career, as well as his reading of the game. Gianluigi Buffon described Casillas as the best goalkeeper of his era with his hands. He was also known for his ability to save the ball with his feet, with former goalkeeper Manuel Almunia likening him to compatriot Luis Arconada , who also served as an inspiration to Casillas, and to whom he was often compared throughout his career, due to his quick reactions, movement, and excellent footwork. Regarding Casillas's playing style and goalkeeping ability, Almunia commented in 2017: "Iker's
9867-471: The ball away. He also received criticism in the media for a series of errors and less consistent performances in his later career, as he lost some of his speed and mobility with age due to his physical decline. Although he has occasionally been criticised by pundits for his limited skills with the ball at his feet in comparison to other Spanish goalkeepers, Casillas's distribution with both his hands and feet has generally been reliable throughout his career, and he
10010-449: The ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or
10153-456: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
10296-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
10439-479: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
10582-462: The best goalkeepers in the history of the game." Europa Press reported that Casillas was the second-most popular Spanish sportsman on the Internet in 2010. The study performed by company Vipnet360 examined the web presence on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. During the 2010–11 season , after the departure of first and second captains of Real Madrid, Raúl and Guti respectively, Casillas
10725-478: The brand's marketing efforts under one umbrella. Adidas has been the parent company of Reebok since 2005. Between 2004 and 2008, Casillas dated beauty pageant winner Eva González . Casillas was in a relationship with sports journalist Sara Carbonero from 2009 to 2021. Their son Martín was born on 3 January 2014 in Madrid . In November 2015, the couple announced they were expecting their second child. On 20 March 2016,
10868-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
11011-732: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
11154-521: The club's second-choice keeper in La Liga , behind Diego López, Casillas continued to be Madrid's first choice keeper in the Champions League and Copa del Rey , setting a new record of 962 minutes without conceding a goal in the latter competition. In February 2014, he became the first goalkeeper to play in every round of the Copa del Rey prior to the final without conceding a goal. On 16 April, he captained Madrid in
11297-533: The competition on 20 October 2015, in a 2–0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv , as his team climbed top of Champions League Group G. In January 2016, he was blamed for the away loss at Vitória de Guimarães (1–0) in the league , following a high-profile error. On 11 March 2017, Casillas set a new personal record for clean sheets in a single season with his sixteenth clean sheet in a 4–0 away win over Arouca . On 14 March, Casillas made his 175th appearance in UEFA club competitions in
11440-416: The couple married. On 2 June 2016, Sara gave birth to the couple's second child, Lucas. Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than
11583-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
11726-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
11869-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
12012-463: The final as they beat rivals Barcelona 2–1 at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium . On 24 May 2014, Casillas captained Real Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final , winning the title for the third time in his career with a 4–1 win over Atlético Madrid in Lisbon ; this was the tenth time Real Madrid had won the trophy. Although Diego Godín 's opening goal resulted from an error by Casillas, Sergio Ramos tied
12155-413: The first two Group D games against Russia and Sweden before being rested in place of second-choice goalkeeper Pepe Reina for Spain's group stage elimination of Greece . Casillas saved two penalties from Antonio Di Natale and Daniele De Rossi as Spain eliminated Italy in the quarter-finals with a 4–2 shootout win following a goalless draw on 22 June. Spain later went on to win the competition with
12298-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
12441-514: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
12584-517: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
12727-562: The game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
12870-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
13013-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
13156-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
13299-654: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
13442-515: The knock-out stages –, only conceded a joint–record two goals, and saved a penalty in regulation time in the quarter-final victory against Paraguay . In the final , he made two crucial stops from Netherlands' Arjen Robben with the score at 0–0 after the Dutchman had passed all the defenders. Before he went to pick up the World Cup trophy , Casillas would later state that images of the past captains doing
13585-745: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
13728-547: The match for Real Madrid in injury time; the club went on to win the title in extra-time. In 2013–14 season Casillas kept 6 clean sheets, third most in a single season of Champions League. Following the Champions League win, the 2014–15 season saw Casillas return to being the club's first choice goalkeeper, despite competition from new arrival Keylor Navas , as he then went on to win the UEFA Super Cup , with Real Madrid defeating Sevilla 2–0 on 12 August 2014. He then also won
13871-607: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
14014-510: The national record for the longest time spent without conceding a goal. The pair went unbeaten for 710 minutes, longer than Spain's longest-serving goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta and Paco Buyo. Wesley Sonck of Belgium ended their goalless streak when he scored against them a 2010 World Cup qualifying match. Casillas was the highest-ranked goalkeeper (fourth place) in the 2008 Ballon d'Or , behind Cristiano Ronaldo , Lionel Messi and national teammate Fernando Torres . Also in 2008, Casillas
14157-525: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
14300-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
14443-412: The opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with
14586-461: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
14729-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
14872-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
15015-488: The pitch. Good luck in your new adventure, it'll be strange to see you in another shirt from now on. Go Iker!" —Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon on Casillas following his transfer to Porto in July 2015. After much speculation about his future, on 11 July 2015 Casillas signed with Portuguese Primeira Liga side Porto on a two-year deal with the option of a one-year extension. Real Madrid's conduct in his exit
15158-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
15301-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
15444-524: The playoff against Norway which ended 3–0 in Oslo , and started all of Spain's Euro 2004 matches. He was the first choice for the 2006 World Cup , captaining the team twice, but could not prevent La Roja from losing 3–1 to a Zinedine Zidane -inspired France in the Round of 16. With the exclusion of his Real Madrid teammate Raúl from the squad for Euro 2008 , Casillas was given the captain's armband. He started
15587-458: The quarter-final against co-hosts South Korea during the 2002 World Cup was rated by FIFA as one of the top ten saves of all time; however, Spain were eliminated following a 5–3 penalty shoot-out defeat to the Koreans (0–0 after 120 minutes). Casillas played in all eight Group six fixtures during Euro 2004 qualifying , conceding just four goals. He kept a clean sheet in the second leg victory of
15730-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
15873-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
16016-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
16159-534: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
16302-792: The same was in his head, reeling them off in perfect order going back to the first World Cup he saw as a youngster: "From when I was small, I saw Matthäus lift it. I saw Dunga lift it, I saw Deschamps lift it, I saw Cafu lift it, Cannavaro ... so to watch me lift it, I could watch it tomorrow, I could watch it within 10 years and it will always make me emotional because it's incomparable." On 15 November 2011, Casillas became Spain's most capped player, breaking Andoni Zubizarreta's record after starting for Spain in their 2–2 draw against Costa Rica . On 29 February 2012, in Spain's 5–0 win over Venezuela , Casillas equalled Edwin van der Sar's record of 72 international clean sheets. On 30 May, in Spain's 4–1 win over South Korea, Casillas came on for Pepe Reina on
16445-417: The season as Porto finished in second place, but his season was cut short after he suffered "an acute myocardial infarction " during training on 1 May 2019. He was discharged from hospital on 6 May, but commented that he was uncertain about his future. In July 2019, following his heart attack two months earlier, Casillas returned for pre-season training. Later that month, Porto announced that he had been given
16588-556: The second most appearances for the Spain national team, making him the eighteenth- most capped footballer of all time . An unused substitute at UEFA Euro 2000 , Casillas became the nation's first choice goalkeeper at the 2002 World Cup , and went on to play at UEFA Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup . In 2008, he was made captain , and went on to lead the team to the European Championship title that year . Casillas also led Spain to their first World Cup win in 2010 , where he kept
16731-535: The second time. In February 2009, Casillas equalled Paco Buyo 's record of 454 matches played for a goalkeeper and has since surpassed it to become Real Madrid's most-capped goalkeeper of all time at only 27 years old. During the 2009 summer transfer window, some Spanish media reported that Manchester City had launched a record £129 million bid for the goalkeeper. The club denied the rumours, however, saying that no such offer had been made. Manchester United had been rumoured to have enquired about him, but no price
16874-468: The senior team squad to face Rosenborg in the UEFA Champions League , although he remained on the bench throughout. After spending a season with the C-team in the fourth tier , during which they won their regional group, he came into contention as the club's first-choice between the posts. In starting the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League group stage fixture against Olympiakos on 15 September 1999, he became
17017-543: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
17160-504: The side to backup César Sánchez after poor performances in the 2001–02 campaign , but redeemed himself when Sánchez suffered an injury in the final minutes of the 2002 Champions League Final . Casillas came on and pulled off several key saves to deny a rampant Bayer Leverkusen the Champions League crown. Real Madrid won 2–1. The 2007–08 season was a fruitful season for Casillas, as he helped Real Madrid reclaim their 31st La Liga title and conceded only 32 goals in 36 matches to claim
17303-592: The team. As such, Casillas, Carles Puyol , and Xavi called a summit with the manager and the team's players, in order to ease tensions; Casillas was praised in the media for his role in successfully uniting the dressing room. On 1 July 2012, Casillas became the first player to reach 100 international wins for his country as Spain defeated Italy 4–0 in the Euro 2012 final , as Spain successfully defended their title to win their third consecutive major international trophy. He also set another record with his 509 minutes without conceding
17446-483: The third player in history of Spanish football to ever reach this far internationally. Although Casillas committed an error which led to a goal in Spain's 1–0 defeat to Switzerland in their opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup , on 11 July 2010, Casillas captained Spain to their first ever World Cup title with a 1–0 win against the Netherlands in extra-time. In so doing, he became the third ever goalkeeper to captain
17589-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
17732-531: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
17875-482: The tournament as Spain was eliminated in the Round of 16 following a 2–0 defeat to Italy. On 21 May 2018, Casillas was left out of Julen Lopetegui 's final 23-man Spain squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. In November, he hinted a return to the Spain football team and Real Madrid. "Honestly, I don't have to use up many words to say how good he is, the results are there for all to see. He has won everything there
18018-474: The tournament due to injury from a freak accident. At 21, Casillas was one of the youngest first-choice goalkeepers in the tournament. He played an instrumental role in Spanish progression when he saved a penalty in regulation time and two more in the 3–2 shoot-out victory during the round of 16 match against the Republic of Ireland (1–1 after 120 minutes), earning him the nickname "The Saint". One of his saves during
18161-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
18304-597: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
18447-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
18590-450: The world. During his highly successful career in Madrid, Casillas won all major club titles, including five La Liga titles, four Supercopa de España titles, two Copa del Rey titles, three UEFA Champions Leagues , two UEFA Super Cups , two Intercontinental Cups and the FIFA Club World Cup . After 25 years with Real Madrid, Casillas joined FC Porto in 2015 on a free transfer, where he won
18733-545: The youngest goalkeeper ever to feature in the competition at the time, aged 18 years and 177 days; a record which was only broken in October 2017 by Mile Svilar . Three days earlier, Casillas had made his La Liga debut in a 2–2 draw against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés Stadium . In May 2000, he became the youngest ever goalkeeper to play in and win a Champions League final when Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3–0 , just four days after his 19th birthday. Casillas lost his place in
18876-510: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
19019-591: Was announced. He had been linked with other Premier League clubs before but Casillas himself stated that he "had no intention of leaving" his boyhood club. During the 2009–10 season on 4 October in a game against Sevilla , Casillas made an extraordinary save, running from one side of his goal to the other to deny Diego Perotti in a one-on-one, close-range encounter. After the match, he received praise from fellow Spanish goalkeepers and England goalkeeper Gordon Banks , who stated, "Casillas' reflexes are incredible. If he continues to play this well he will become one of
19162-419: Was criticised, with Casillas' parents claiming that he was being forced out of the club by president Florentino Pérez , who received calls to quit from fans. Former international teammate Xavi , who earlier that summer left Barcelona after a similarly long and successful career, claimed that Real Madrid were ungrateful of Casillas' service to the club. Casillas made his Primeira Liga debut on 15 August, keeping
19305-529: Was finally broken by Olivier Giroud 's injury-time goal on 16 October of that year, which came in a 1–1 home draw against France in a 2014 World Cup qualifying match . In June 2013, Casillas represented Spain at the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil, making three appearances as Spain reached the final , only to be defeated 3–0 by the hosts Brazil on 30 June, at the Maracanã Stadium . In June 2014, Casillas
19448-527: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
19591-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
19734-497: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
19877-481: Was named the world's best goalkeeper by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). He also came in third place in the best goalkeepers of all time ranking, beating Oliver Kahn . Casillas was Spain's starting goalkeeper during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, making four appearances as Spain finished the tournament in third place. On 5 September 2009, after
20020-539: Was named to Vicente del Bosque's final 23-man Spain squad for Euro 2016 . The following day, he became the most-capped European player by earning his 167th cap in a 6–1 friendly win over South Korea in Salzburg in a pre-tournament warm-up match; he was later replaced by debutant Sergio Rico in the second half. This was his final international appearance. During the tournament, he was the second-choice goalkeeper behind David de Gea ; Casillas did not make an appearance during
20163-568: Was selected as first captain with new vice-captains Sergio Ramos , Marcelo and Gonzalo Higuaín . During the 2011–12 season , Casillas won the IFFHS Best Goalkeeper award, making him only the second goalkeeper behind Gianluigi Buffon to win it four times and the only goalkeeper to win the award four times in a row. Casillas played his 600th match for Real Madrid on 22 January 2012 in a 4–1 win against Athletic Bilbao. On 2 May 2012, Casillas clinched his fifth La Liga title and his first as
20306-503: Was selected to represent Spain in his fourth World Cup . In the team's opening match, he made two mistakes leading to goals from Stefan de Vrij and Robin van Persie as the champions were defeated 5–1 by the Netherlands. After the match, Casillas apologised for the defeat and called his performance the worst of his career. He also started in Spain's second group game against Chile , which they lost 2–0 and were subsequently eliminated from
20449-410: Was seven or eight, Casillas forgot to post his father's football predictions for the weekend; his father had correctly predicted all 15 results, and the family lost out on an estimated €1.2 million (£1 million). Casillas began his career in Real Madrid's youth system , known as La Fábrica , during the 1990–91 season. On 27 November 1997, at age 16 and still a junior, he was first called up to
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