Four years on Casillas aims for big prize

Reuters
Sunday June 18, 9:30 PM

KAMEN, Germany, June 18 (Reuters) - Iker Casillas's career might never have been the same had it not been for an untimely injury to a team mate at Real Madrid and a bizarre incident involving a bottle of aftershave.

Four years ago after a fast-track promotion to the Real first team, the young keeper's career had appeared to stall after he lost his place in the starting lineup.

But all that changed when first choice keeper Cesar picked up an injury in the Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen as his team were trying to withstand a series of attacks from the German side.

The then 20-year-old dusted off his gloves and produced a string of near miraculous saves to preserve his side's 2-1 lead and together with Zinedine Zidane became the hero of Real's ninth European Cup victory.

Despite his lack of match practice he was included in the squad for the 2002 World Cup, although he was destined to play second fiddle to the undisputed first-choice Santiago Canizares.

But the Valencia keeper's World Cup finished before it had even started when he severed a tendon in his big toe after dropping an aftershave bottle on his foot at the team's training base in Jerez shortly before the team was due to depart.

Once again Casillas stepped into the breach and Spain's number one jersey has been his ever since.

"I have to admit it was a turning point for me," Casillas told Reuters in an interview. "More than the Champions League injury to Cesar, it was the World Cup that changed things.

TAKE OFF

"What happened to Canizares meant that after more than two months without playing I had to become match fit and get ready to play as soon as possible.

"It was difficult, but it worked out very well and that's when things really started to take off for me. I haven't looked back since."

Casillas went on to become the hero of Spain's World Cup campaign with an inspirational performance in the penalty shootout against Ireland in the last 16 leading to him being dubbed "San Iker" (Saint Iker) by the Spanish media.

The experience was soured, however, by the team's controversial quarter-final exit to co-hosts South Korea when they went out on penalties after having two apparently legal goals disallowed by referee Gamal Ghandour.

"I remember the Ireland game vividly and it was nice to enjoy the sort of luck which Spain doesn't usually get," Casillas said. "But it was a shame we couldn't do the same when it went to penalties against South Korea.

"Spain played very well in that World Cup and if it hadn't been for some unfortunate refereeing we could have gone further," he said.

"I think overall we left with a very clear conscience because we did absolutely everything we could. We played some good football and we could have got into the semi-finals."

Along with Ronaldo, Casillas was the key player in Real Madrid's drive to the league title in 2003, but since then the Primera Liga side's fortunes have nose-dived.

SUCCESS

The very fact that he has had such a barren time at club level makes the 25-year-old even more determined to enjoy some success with the national side.

"The truth is we've had three poor seasons at Real, but that is behind me now. It means I've still got a big appetite to play and now I'm totally focused on playing for Spain.

"Joining up with the national team helps you recharge your batteries, renew your ideas and enthusiasm. The timing has been perfect for me."

Casillas, captain of Spain when Raul is on the bench, was probably their most under-employed player as they crushed Ukraine 4-0 in their opening match.

He knows the main event is yet to come, though.

"Right now we are still in the group phase and after the win over Ukraine we are in with a great chance of qualifying," he said. "But the big prizes are only at stake when you get to the knockout stage. That's when the real action takes place.

"However well you play now, you have to remember that this is just the start and the important stuff comes later."