I Will Retire At Least A Year After Buffon – Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas tipped his former side Real Madrid to return to form, as he was awarded the 2017 Golden Foot prize.

The Golden Foot is awarded to players aged over 28 and is a recognition of a long career in the game — with Casillas’ long-time rival and friend Buffon of Juventus and Italy winning in 2016.

“Everyone is looking at Madrid wondering what is going on,” Casillas said. “This is a team which has won two consecutive Champions Leagues, which is very difficult, had never been done before. Now it seems they are not so good in La Liga and in the Champions League they lost a game to Tottenham. It all looks like problems, but we must wait, there are many games to go. La Liga is very long, and the Champions League does not really start until February.”

Casillas, 36, has recently lost his starting spot at Porto, where his contract ends next summer, but the veteran joked that he would not retire until at least a year after Buffon, 39, hangs up his gloves.

“The end of my career is getting closer all the time,” he said. “[But] if Buffon can reach 40, I am going to give myself the challenge of retiring at least a year after him. To have an extra year in my career.”