When exactly did the era of tiki-taka end? When Spain were beaten in the Confederations Cup final? When Bayern Munich took apart Barcelona in the 2012-13 semi-finals? Perhaps there’s an even more symbolic ending – Iker Casillas losing his No.1 jersey for club and country.
As the Germany proved, building a winning team takes 14 years. The beginning of the renaissance post-Euro 2000 is quite clear-cut. Spain’s rise to world dominance is not so definite, but perhaps an emblematic beginning is the 1998-99 season, when a certain Iker Casillas Fernandez made his senior Real Madrid debut. From the following season, which included playing in the Champions League final a few days after his 19th birthday, Casillas has been almost an ever present for club and country.
That monopoly of the guardameta position ended under Jose Mourinho’s last season at Madrid, while Carlo Ancelotti had Diego Lopez first choice in the League. Now it looks like Keylor Navas will move to Madrid from Levante for €10m [€8m transfer fee, €2m signing-on fee].
Casillas at 33 is still a middle-aged goalkeeper, but being at the pinnacle of world and club football for 14 years must take a toll, even if it’s mental more the physical. Pepe Reina may have taken the gloves for Spain’s last World Cup game, but there’s little doubt that David de Gea is the national future. The man keeping Casillas out of the Madrid team, Lopez, wasn’t even in Spain’s squad.
There are daily rumours of big clubs interested in the Spanish captain, so it’s not inconceivable to see Casillas leaving. A humble, distinguished icon of world football with 156 caps doesn’t deserve to see out his career on the bench. From the two Galactico periods and everything in between, the boyhood Madrid fan has been the one consistent.
It was reported that Lopez was offered as a makeweight in the Monaco deal for James Rodriguez, but he preferred to stay. If Madrid were happy to let the incumbent No.1 leave, and Navas’ imminent arrival, all signs point to a season of bench-warming if Casillas stays. As Carlo Ancelotti said: “'I'm going to decide at the start of the season who will be the starting keeper. Iker starts at the same level as others.” Not the biggest vote of confidence.
So what of the new arrival? All signs point to a quality goalkeeper ready to make the step from a middling La Liga team to European champions. Finishing 10th with Levante in 2013-14, his 37 games conceded a meagre 39 goals, only one more than Real Madrid conceded all campaign. Although his fantastic World Cup may have been the catalyst for Madrid’s interest, the ex-Albacete man could well have been on Madrid’s radar after the 2013-14 campaign.
During said World Cup his stellar performances saw him collect three Man of the Match awards, concede a only two goals in five matches, including clean sheets against Italy, England and the Netherlands, and save the penalty that put his country into the Quarter finals.
Navas has been saying his goodbyes from his holiday in Costa Rica. Expect him to line-up against Cordoba on the opening weekend instead of the unassuming man from southwest Madrid. Sadly, all good things must come to an end.
