Sports Nicknames - San Iker, El Santo

When discussing the greatest goalkeepers to ever play the game, the name Iker Casillas will come up at some point. Undoubtedly he's the best Spanish goalkeeper to ever play, with many considering him to be the best overall.

Nicknamed "San Iker" (Saint Iker), for his ability to make seemingly impossible saves, he holds the name for good reason. Standing at 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in), he is not particularly tall for a goalkeeper. Despite this, his athleticism and reactions allowed him to routinely make saves that did not seem possible.

He is also one of the most consistent performers to ever play the game. He became the youngest goalkeeper to ever play in and win the Champions League final in 1999 before becoming Real Madrid's first choice goalkeeper for the next sixteen years. He didn't stop there either. Once he left Real Madrid in 2015, he went on to be the first choice goalkeeper for Portuguese side FC Porto for the next 5 years until his retirement in 2020.

San Iker's record books aren't exactly small either. He is one of 50 players to have played over 1,000 competitive matches, with the only two other current players to match that are Gianluigi Buffon and former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. He holds the record for most clean sheets in the Champions League and for the Spanish national team. Speaking of the national team, he has the second most appearances for Spain, having won two European Championships and a World Cup along the way.

Iker Casillas has undoubtedly left his mark on the game. Is he the greatest goalkeeper of all time? That's up for you to decide.


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