Real Madrid goalkeeper has praised Spain and former Los Blancos boss Vicente del Bosque and claimed he has had a huge influence on his career.
The national team manager’s biography was published in Spain this week, and 32-year-old Real Madrid captain Casillas was asked to write the forward to the book.
The World Cup winner recalled the moment Del Bosque was relieved from his duties at the Santiago Bernabeu as a dark day, and one of the saddest days in his football career. But he added the pair have gone on to enjoy huge success together on the international stage.
In the quotes published by AS, Casillas said: “His departure from Real Madrid really affected me. It was as if some part of Madrid had gone too. We had a great team and Vicente managed us well. You could say that with the players we had any Coach could have managed us.”
He added: “But in four years we won the Champions League twice, the League and the FIFA World Cup Championship. On the night [Del Bosque left] I was going to an event in Alicante when I heard he was leaving. We had a feeling something was going to happen. The celebrations for that League were the worst I can remember.”
Casillas went on to discuss what it meant to win the World Cup with one of his favourite managers.
“He taught me how to deal with victories. He put us in seventh heaven and made is feel like we were the centre of the earth on July 12, 2010. He has been as calm during the tough times as he has in the moments of glory,” he said.
