It’s international week again and true to form the Spanish sports press have been leading not on the decisive qualifiers against Sweden and Northern Ireland, but on a Real Madrid transfer story — the reported 40 million-euro offer from Juande Ramos’s Tottenham for goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Casillas knocked the rumour down in his usual plain-spoken manner:
“Why would I leave a club I have played for since I was eight years old and when I’ve got five years left on my contract? Why would I leave if I’ve got my friends and family here and I play for Real Madrid?”
Real Madrid boss Bernd Schuster made it clear where he stood on the matter too, saying: ”He’s the best keeper in the world. He’ll be at Real Madrid for many years to come.”
Casillas has won two European Cups and three Spanish titles since he broke into the first team as an 18-year-old. He is the undisputed number one in Spain, having won over 70 caps for the national side and he is still only 26. He also has (probably) the most valuable hands in the game.
But is Schuster right about him being the best in the world? Who would you say is better? Give us your thoughts in the comments section and please pop over to the soccer site and vote in our poll as well.
PHOTO: Casillas celebrates a Real Madrid goal against Olympiakos in the Champions League, October 24, 2007. REUTERS/Andrea Comas
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Buffon is up there as well, but if yo look at the savecasillas performed against olympiakos a few weeks ago, and you see him do that regularly in spain, it proves he is number 1
- Posted by ujyWell i should say it is between Gianluigi Buffon and Casillas for the # 1 spot and for the iddiots who obviously doesnt watch Madrid play please dont comment cause ur making a fool of yourselves.
- Posted by RoryCasillas has excellent reflexes. He can save from point blank range. But he still has to improve when dealing with crosses, although in La Liga, crosses dun come too often and they are lower in the air.
- Posted by jessyIn response to Betfair Poker Player (comment 11) here’s muy stab at 10 German keepers good enough for the Premier League (in no particular order):
- Posted by Kev1. Robert Enke (Hanover 96)
2. Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen)
3. Manuel Neuer (Schalke)
4. Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich)
5. Michael Rensing (Bayern Munich, Germany U-21)
6. Jens Lehmann (Arsenal, for now)
7. Frank Rost (Hamburg)
8. Timo Hildebrand (Valencia)
9. Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund)
10. Raphael Schaefer (Stuttgart)
I think Casillas is the best goalkeeper from the world. He deserve to play at the best footbal team: REAL MADRID.
HALLA MADRID
- Posted by Flavius-RaymondfORTZA REAL
i think CASILLAS is No.1 .did you see what is doing for madrid.he is the best goalkeeper of all time in spain.the number one in the world at time.2.bufon.3.van der sar.HALA MADRID
- Posted by FlamurYa,Casillas is the BesT Of The Best,He can save ball with his legs,head oe even body!!
- Posted by Jeff Limi think reina is da best spanish golie @ da moment..n cud be da best goalie ryt now..he has more clean sheets dis season dan neother goalie in EPL..cassilas is overated isnt really that good right now..
- Posted by antoniook about shay given..dats a good one..lol..
Valdes is a hack. I cant believe he is even being talked about in all of this. The amount of howlers he lets in off high balls is incredible. It’d be funny if it wasn’t so painful to watch. He has improved this season, but still no where near what is generally considered as “world class”.
I dislike Real Madrid but i have to say that i rate Casillas pretty highly (maybe not the best) He has to deal with a pretty shoddy defence in front of him who despite all the big names, just don’t gel that well together.
I don’t get to watch much Italian football besides the champions league, but Buffon seems like a pain in the arse to get the ball past. Definitely up there with Shay Given hahaha (that one still has me laughing)
- Posted by paulinoI agree with Cygnus. He is only considered top because of who he plays for.
The best goalkeepers in the world are German goalkeepers. They have, I would say, ten now who would walk into the English team. I’m not joking, these guys are that good.
- Posted by Betfair Poker PlayerMy favourite goalkeeper is Gianluigi Buffon because I’m a Juventus fan and he showed he was an honest man by staying with us in Serie B!
- Posted by Claudia from MilanThe only element where he can improve is stopping penalties, this year he has conceded six pens out of six.
I can’t believe Casillas in even on the list. Anything he has to reach for he left woefully wanting, he’s awfull on crosses… seriously why’s he even on this list. He’s not even in the top three in Spain. The benefits of playing for one of the world’s largest clubs I guess.
- Posted by CygnusPatrick, dude, start smoking more tobacco with it. There must be hundreds of better goalkeepers than Shay Given.
- Posted by LondonDida ?? top goalkeeper? are you joking? Badger please, His play acting in Glasgow means he should be discounted, it also meant everyone forgot another howler he produced which cost Milan the game. Valdes maybe. David James ?? video games thats all i’m saying.. ok Valdes third Given fourth. but i’m not moving on that
- Posted by PatrickHere in Italy Gianluigi Buffon is viewed as the only choice as the world’s best keeper.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsOccasionally, admittedly not often, Casillas drops a clanger while many think Cech has not been as secure as he was before the head injury, which may be totally understandable.
Buffon stuck with Juve for a season in Serie B and very, very rarely makes a mistake.
His best quality is that he always pushes shots he can’t catch well away from the goal to avoid players scoring on the rebound. Very few top keepers do that.
There’s also Andres Palop at Sevilla who has had a couple of great seasons there, scored a wonderful last-gasp equaliser against Shakhtar Dontesk on their way to their second UEFA Cup triumph and made some great saves in the penalty shoot-out in the final too.
Casillas doesn´t seem to be getting much pressure from Dudek at Real. He seems to have decided that sitting on the bench in the Spanish sunshine is a better option than doing the same in the English rain.
What about those keepers who play in the lesser known European leagues or lower profile teams? Does anyone out there have any likely candidates?
- Posted by SimonPATRICK. SHAY GIVEN!!! You are clearly a newcastle fan lol, shay given lol, over dida, valdes, david james. i cant get over the fact that u think shay given is good. are u watching a diff chap to the rest of the world
- Posted by badgerI would have to agree cassilias has got to be one of the best in the world. for his age his achievments are outstanding, but lets not forget the legends of dida, van der sar (before united and fulham), valdes. For any team in the world to mount a serious title challenge/defence, they need to have a goalkeeper that has top ability. cassilias has that. i wouldnt leave real madrid if i was in his shoes, especially not for a tottenham side that quite frankly are finished, ramos or no ramos. You are not god Mr ramos you cant perform miricales!!
- Posted by badgerIt’s funny that there are lots of good Spanish keepers at the moment (Valdes and Reina as well as Casillas) and quite a few Germans with great potential, notably Manuel Neuer of Schalke and Rene Adler at Bayer Leverkusen.
- Posted by KevI think, and it pains me to back a Chelsea player, but Cech probably just shades Casillas. Shay Given following them in a distant third
- Posted by Patrick