FC Porto President confirms Spanish legend Iker Casillas will retire

Spanish and Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas is all set to hang up his gloves and draw the curtains on a 22-year long playing career. FC Porto President Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa confirmed the same shortly after news broke that Casillas intended to throw his hat into the ring for the Royal Spanish Football Federation or Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) presidency.

Speaking to Portuguese media, Da Costa said that Casillas had met him personally to let him know of his decision to retire now that he had his eye on the RFEF candidacy and more administrative challenges in the world of Spanish football.

Legendary goalkeeper @IkerCasillas will end his 22-year playing career to run for presidency of the Spanish FA, Porto’s president has confirmed pic.twitter.com/yGGZSodUaL

— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 18, 2020

Casillas had a superlative playing career, primarily with Real Madrid, a side he represented for 16 years. Casillas became a world-beater between the sticks, helping Los Blancos lift 5 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey trophies and 3 UEFA Champions League titles during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

In addition to the successes at club level, San Iker was also at the helm as captain of what was the Spanish golden generation's coming of age in international football. La Roja dominated world football for six years, during which Spain won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 sandwiched between two UEFA Euro titles in 2008 and 2012 all with Casillas' safe hands hoisting the trophies.

Casillas played 881 games in his club career and claimed 338 clean sheets during that time. The 38-year-old also amassed 167 caps with his national side and was their most capped player till he was eclipsed by current Madrid skipper, Sergio Ramos.

Casillas moved to Porto in 2015 and suffered a heart attack in April, 2019. He had not featured for Porto since and is now set to go up against Luis Rubiales for the presidency of the Spanish Football Federation.