Iker Casillas

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Casillas keeps making history

The keeper will draw level with Arconada's cap record

Iker Casillas will play his 68th game with Spain against Iceland, equalling Arconada's 68 cap record.

Iker Casillas has defended the Spanish goal 67 times since his debut on 3 June 2000 in a firendly against Sweden in Göteborg. If the Madrid keeper plays on Wednesday against Iceland he will draw level with Arconada's cap record. Spain drew against Sweden in Casillas' debut when Nilsson put the ball in the back of the keeper's goal from a penalty. Iker Casillas has since played in two European Championships -Belgian-Holland 2000 and Portugal 2004- and in two World Cups -Japan-Korea 2002 and Germany 2006.

Every coach on the national team has counted on him and he has played in every game since his 2000 debut. He has been coached by José Antonio Camacho, Iñaki Sáez and Luis Aragonés, winning 41 games, drawing 18 and losing only 8.

At the young age of 25, he has played more games than legendary Spanish goalkeepers like Zamora, Iribar and Cañizares. The main difference between him and past goalkeepers is that he has only conceded 42 goals in 68 games, while Arconada conceded 20. Thanks to Casillas' lack of conceded goals, Spain have always made it to every important international competition.

Against Iceland, Iker could become the seventh most capped Spanish international player, behind Emilio Butragueño (69), Gordillo (75), Camacho (81), Hierro (89), Raúl (102) and Zubizarreta (126) -the latter is the only non-Real Madrid player on the list.

Casillas' last match with Spain was a 2-1 victory against Denmark this weekend at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The match was vital for Spain's chances of qualifying for the 2008 Austria-Switzerland Euro. On Saturday, Iker Casillas was the most capped player on the squad and, therefore, the team's captain. Against Iceland, he will be the second most capped goalkeeper on the Spanish national team with Arconada, behind Andoni Zubizarreta, who played for Spain 126 times.

Diario AS asked four of the most important goalkeepers of the Spanish national team about Iker Casillas. These were their answers.

• Zubizarreta: "I met Iker when I was at the Spanish FA and trained with him. I tried to explain to him what this whole business was about, as Arconada did with me. He is a very young and excellent player and he will play many games. I don't consider him a rival to my record. A player like him, who keeps standing above the rest when there is a lot of competition for the spot, is simply great."

• Arconada: "Casillas is an all-round goalkeeper and his greatest virtue is that he keeps improving every year. He is calm, has great reflexes and, despite what most people say, is good at charging. He will keep breaking records as long as he doesn't get injured. I think he is a normal, humble person, which also helps."

• Iribar: "I've liked Iker from the first day I saw him. In his San Mamés debut I saw some great aspects of his future game, despite the fact it was one of his worst performances. He is a great keeper. He is wonderful at keeping every situation under control. He's had to make a great effort at Real Madrid."

• Ramallets: "Iker Casillas is always reliable, just like Luis Arconada was. I think they have similar styles and I wouldn't have known which of the two to chose if they had been contemporaries. Spain has always had good keepers."

Iker Casillas has been a Spanish international in every category of the national team. He has played a total of 77 games since he made his debut with the Under-15 national team. At 25, Zubizarreta had only played 22 games.

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Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos

"It was worth the suffering"

The Madridistas are two of the most important members of the Spanish national team. Sergio Ramos' runs down the right wing were a continous threat to Iceland, especially in the first half. And, of course, the goalkeeper's saves helped decide the final result. Following the match, the Real Madrid defender and keeper gave two thumbs up to the victory, despite having suffered more than expected.

Sergio Ramos

“The truth of the matter is that it was a hard-earned victory. The team worked well and we didn't deserve a draw. I think the team went all out in attack and we didn't let up during the entire 90 minutes. [iceland] were closed in on their side of the pitch, making it hard for us to score. Forunately, Iniesta was able to hit the back of the net and we were able to take three very important points. We now have three months to take it easy and we're able to look ahead to our next matches knowing we got the job done.”

Iker Casillas

"We took the three points against a rival who closed up in defence and made things pretty hard for us. I was never able to see Arconada play because all I remember is from Italy '90 onwards, but he was always my idol and pulling even with him is a tremendous success."

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Celta vs. Real Madrid

GOALKEEPERS: Iker Casillas, Diego López & Kiko Casilla.

DEFENDERS: Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Mejía, Pavón, Marcelo, Cicinho, Torres & Ramos.

MIDFIELDERS: Emerson, Diarra, Guti, Gago, Robinho & Raúl.

FORWARDS: Van Nistelrooy, Cassano & Higuaín.

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Celta Vigo 1: Pinto; Ángel, Lequi, Contreras, Placente; Nené, Iriney, Oubiña, Gustavo López (Antonio Núñez, 69’); Baiano & Bamogo (Perera, 74’).

Real Madrid 2: Casillas; Salgado (Mejía, 85’), Ramos, Helguera, Torres; Diarra, Gago (Emerson, 74’), Guti; Raúl (Robinho, 61’), Higuaín & Van Nistelrooy.

Referee: Pérez Burrull. Booked Gago (20’), Pinto (26’), Ángel (28’), Iriney (35’), Salgado (64’), Diarra (68’), Robinho (83’), Núñez (85’), Helguera (89’). Guti was sent off in the 90th minute with a double booking.

Goals:

0-1, 26’: Van Nistelrooy, from a penalty.

1-1, 44’: Nené assists Ángel with a heel-pass and the latter scores.

1-2, 83’: Robinho scores a header.

Highlights: Matchday 28 of La Liga. Venue: Balaídos Stadium. Attendance: 24,000. Real Madrid wore black wristbands in mourning for the death of the daughter of former legendary Real Madrid player Santamaría.

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Iker Casillas on AS

"We must still fight to win the League"

Iker Casillas attended the Laureus Awards ceremony on Monday, where he expressed his confidence in the chances the team still has of winning the League.

"We are still strong contenders for the title. Barcelona aren't giving up the fight, and neither will we. We can't allow ourselves to make any more mistakes. We must win every match we have left."

"I think this is a very tight and exciting League. The difference with past editions of the championship is that instead of two, there are now several contenders for the title. The only team that slipped this weekend was Zaragoza, but they are still in the fight with Barcelona, Sevilla, Valencia and us."

"I watched the first half of the Barcelona-Deportivo match this weekend and as soon as Eto'o scored the 2-0 goal I thought Barcelona were going to destroy Depor. I stopped watching the game for a while and turned the TV back on to watch the final minutes. The score was 2-1 and Barcelona were going through hell. In fact, Deportivo came very close to scoring and equaliser."

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Real Madrid's soccer players Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos pose as their arrive for the Laureus World Awards ceremony in Barcelona April 2, 2007.

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Laureus World Sports Awards

Ramón Calderón, Casillas and Ramos attended the ceremony held in Barcelona

President Ramón Calderón, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos attended the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony, held in Barcelona. Fabio Cannavaro wasn't in the event despite being nominated for the and World Team of the Year -with Italy- and World Sportsman of the Year awards. Tennis player Rodger Federer won the latter.

The Palau Sant Jordi Arena of Barcelona was the venue for the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony, presided by King Don Juan Carlos of Spain. Winners were voted for by members of the Laureus Academy, formed by former elite sports men and women, such as the Spaniards Miguel Induráin and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, who were at the ceremony.

Ramón Calderón represented Real Madrid in the act. The President took some time to express his confidence in the team's chances to win the League. "We've won two of the finals, but we still have another ten left," he said on the red carpet, "I think we can win the League."

Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos were also at the ceremony, very elegantly dressed. They both expressed their satisfaction with the victory over Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Fabio Cannavaro missed the act despite being nominated for the World Sportsman of the Year Award -won by tennis player Roger Federer- and World Team of the Year Award with Italy, which they won, as opposed to fellow nominees FC Barcelona, the New Zealand All Blacks and the Renault F1 Racing Team.

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