8 Superstar Real Madrid academy graduates you probably did not know of

#7 Santiago Canizares

Santiago Canizares was Spain’s number 1 goalkeeper in the early 2000s

Having made more than 400 appearances for Spanish side Valencia, Santiago Canizares is a true Los Che legend. However, not many people remember that he was Real Madrid’s goalkeeper before the emergence of club legend and another Real Madrid academy graduate Iker Casillas.

Football fans of this generation have no idea about Canizares’ impact in Spanish football, One of the best goalkeepers of his generation, the La Fabrica academy graduate represented Spain in three World Cups and three European Championships.

Canizares even won a Champions League title during his time at Real Madrid

Canizares is one of the few players to win a La Liga with two different teams. The Spaniard won 4 La Liga titles in his illustrious career, with 2 of them coming during his time at Real Madrid and 2 others coming during his spell at Valencia.

During his 4 year spell at Madrid, Canizares represented the club 51 times and even managed to win the Champions League title in 1997/98. Here is a video showing some of Canizares’ best saves: