Íker Casillas Fernández (born May 20, 1981 in Móstoles, Madrid) is a Spanish goalkeeper. He currently is Real Madrid's first choice goalkeeper.

He is in Spain's national squad and has been voted as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Casillas led Spain to the title at the 1999 World Youth Championship. He then backstopped his country at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 and his club to the 2000 and 2002 Champions League titles. He is widely regarded as one of the world's 4 best goalkeepers, which also includes Petr Cech.

Still only a youngster in goalkeeping terms, Iker Casillas has none the less gained a huge reputation in European football. A shot-stopper par excellence, the Real Madrid CF player is gradually developing the commanding presence in his area which could yet see him become an all-time great.

National team Following his international debut against Sweden, Casillas was an unused substitute at UEFA EURO 2000T. However, he was first choice two years later at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, and enjoyed hero status after Spain knocked out the Republic of Ireland in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the quarter-finals.

UEFA EURO 2004T qualifying Casillas played in all eight Group 6 fixtures, conceding just four goals. He then kept goal in both legs of the play-off victory against Norway, keeping a clean sheet in Oslo.

Born in Madrid in 1981, Casillas' entire career has been spent with his hometown club, whom he joined as an eight-year old. Part of the Spanish teams which won the UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup and FIFA World Youth Championship in 1999, his breakthrough year came in 1999/2000, when he replaced the injured Bodo Illgner and played in Madrid's Champions League triumph in an all-Spanish final against Valencia CF where his senior team mates Raul Gonzalez, Fernando Morientes and Steve McManaman scored in a 3-0 win.

Loss of form subsequently allowed César Sánchez to take the No1 jersey but Casillas reclaimed the limelight after substituting the veteran in the 2001/02 Champions League final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen and preserving Madrid's 2-1 lead with a series of fine saves. Again the first choice in 2002/03, an injury-free season saw Casillas play in 15 of his side's Champions League games as well as all 38 Primera División matches as Madrid reclaimed the Spanish championship. 2003/04: Was virtually ever-present as Madrid relinquished their crown and lost the Spanish Cup final, missing just one league game.