Iker Casillas Confirms Run for Spanish Football Federation Presidency
By Tom Gott
Spain icon Iker Casillas has confirmed that he intends to run for presidency at the Spanish football association's (RFEF) next election.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper is yet to officially retire from competitive action and remains on the books at Porto. However, he has not played since April 2019 after suffering a heart attack during training.
Sí, me presentaré a la Presidencia de la @RFEF cuando se convoquen las elecciones. Juntos vamos a poner nuestra Federación a la altura del mejor fútbol del mundo: el de España. #IkerCasillas2020 pic.twitter.com/kHkBChqh4m
— Iker Casillas (@IkerCasillas) February 17, 2020
Since the incident, Casillas has worked as part of Porto's backroom staff to prepare him for life after football, while there has been speculation for some time that he would seek to run for the RFEF presidency.
On Monday, the ex-Real Madrid stopper took to Twitter to confirm his candidacy.
"Yes, I will stand for presidency of the Spanish FA when elections are called," he wrote. "Together we will put our federation at the level of the best football in the world.
"I have informed the president of my Club, FC Porto, of this decision, to whom I can only express my deepest gratitude.
"We are working with the utmost respect in our candidacy. More than 23,000 voters await us in fair and transparent elections. 139 assembly members will decide."
While he did not officially confirm his retirement, it certainly appears as though Casillas has informed Porto that he does not intend to return to football again, and he may have played his last match.
Casillas will now run against current RFEF president Luis Rubiales in the elections, but no date has been set just yet. Rubiales is eager to bring the elections forward to avoid clashing with the Olympic games in Tokyo, but this is yet to be confirmed.
Rubiales has been in the position since May 2018, and he wasted little time making his mark as one of his first actions was to relieve Julen Lopetegui of his duties as Spain manager just days before the 2018 World Cup after it emerged he had been negotiating with Real Madrid.
Casillas would certainly be a popular appointment. The former Real star made 167 appearances for the Spanish national team during his career, winning the 2010 World Cup and the European Championships in both 2008 and 2012.