Iker Casillas Exclusive Interview - Football Insights on Stake
We recently caught up with the Spanish Football Legend and Stake Ambassador Iker Casillas, to discuss all things 2026 International Soccer Tournament! Discover Iker's exclusive insights on the Spainish International Team, The best goalkeepers, Messi and Ronaldo, Real Madrid and the Leaders of Football below.
Spain
Spain are among the favourites for the World Cup. Do you think this current generation has what it takes to emulate the team that won in 2010?
Comparisons are always unfair, but we're going to give the guys our full support from here so they can bring the second star back to Spain.
How important is experience in tournament football, or can a young side win it all?
Experience is always important, as is confidence in young people. I think we have a well-balanced team that will hopefully bring us another victory after winning the last Euro.
Spain became known for controlling games through possession. Has modern football moved away from that philosophy?
Like everything else in life, football is constantly evolving, yet this team continues to combine the essence of possession-based play with the directness of attacking players like the ones we have Lamine Yamal & The New Generation.
Lamine Yamal is already being spoken about as a future Ballon d'Or winner. Have you ever seen a teenager with this level of potential?
Lamine is one of the best players in the world, but the competition is fierce, Mbappé, Vinícius, Pedri, Olise... We’re incredibly lucky to be able to enjoy so many great players today. There have always been plenty of great players who broke out at a very young age, Ronaldo Nazário, Messi, Mbappé...
Is this World Cup his chance to establish himself as the best player in the world?
We'll see what happens, hopefully they can bring the world cup back to Spain.
Could we see Lamine Yamal ever move to the Premier League? And which team would suit him best?
Lamine plays in the best league in the world, La Liga, and has signed a long-term contract with Barcelona. It's great that players want to play and compete in the best league in the world. I don't see him going to any other club.
We didn't have social media before; now everything is more intense. I think social media is good for helping the best sport in the world grow even more. But in tough times, you have to stay calm and not pay attention to everything you read on social media.
Would it be a great story for football if Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal met in a World Cup final?
Of course, Spain and Argentina are two of the best national teams in the world, and as a fan, I always want to watch the best games.
Goalkeepers
Gianluigi Donnarumma won the Yashin Trophy as the world's best goalkeeper, yet Italy won't even be at the World Cup. It raises an interesting question: in your opinion, who is actually the best goalkeeper in the world right now? Alisson? Martínez?
I think Thibaut Courtois might be the best goalkeeper in the world right now, although I’m also a big fan of the three goalkeepers on the national team. I think Spain has some really great goalkeepers, including Remiro, who was left off the roster at the last minute. But I think David Raya has had an incredible season with his club, and he's a goalkeeper I really like.
If David Raya wins the Premier League and still can't secure Spain's number one shirt, what more can a goalkeeper realistically do to earn that opportunity?
Well, goalkeeper is the most unique position in football. David is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and we’re very lucky to have him on our national team. We'll see what decision the coach makes.
Who was the toughest striker you ever faced?
Clearly and without a doubt, Messi, but if we take Messi out of the equation, Eto'o was a striker who really gave me a lot of headaches.
World Cup
If Spain doesn't win the World Cup, who do you think will?
I think France, Portugal, and Argentina have very good teams.
Is there a nation being overlooked that could surprise people this summer?
Well, after the semifinals of the last World Cup, I think Morocco has a really
strong team. Norway could also pull off an upset.
What do you think England’s chances are of winning the tournament?
It’s also a huge squad with some truly great players; honestly, it’s going to be an
incredible World Cup for fans to watch and enjoy.
You've seen Carlo Ancelotti up close at Real Madrid, so you're better placed than most to judge him. What makes him one of the greatest managers of all time, and do you believe he's the perfect coach to bring Brazil back to the top of world football?
It's clear that Carlo is one of the best coaches in history; I think he could be the perfect link to help Brazil take the next step. I wish him all the best, except when he's playing against Spain, haha.
Does tournament football still come down to mentality as much as talent?
I think mindset trumps talent at times; I believe mindset is something we need to work on, since you have to be mentally very strong during certain stages of the tournament.
That save against Arjen Robben in the World Cup final is still one of the defining moments of your career. Can you walk us through exactly what you saw in that moment, and how instinctive that decision really was?
Well, I saw Robben running toward me, so I tried to follow my instinct to block him in case he cut inside toward his weaker foot, while at the same time extending my foot in case he took a shot, that way, I could cover as much space as possible. It all happened in a matter of seconds, I had to make a decision, and I think I handled it well.
Real Madrid
Trent Alexander-Arnold was regarded as one of the best full-backs in the world at Liverpool, yet he's found life at Real Madrid far more challenging than many expected. What do you think is holding him back, and are you confident he'll eventually show his best form in Madrid?
I think Trent is one of the best fullbacks in the world, and we're lucky to have him at Real Madrid. It's always tough to adjust to a new team, a new city, and new teammates... but I'm sure we'll start to see the best of Trent next season.
Looking at the current squad, who has the qualities to become the next great captain of Real Madrid?
I think that right now, following Dani Carvajal's departure, Federico Valverde is going to be the club's first captain
How do you rate Kylian Mbappe’s time at Real Madrid so far?
Well, it's clear that Kylian is one of the best players in the world; I think he's going to bring a lot of joy to Real Madrid fans.
Would Aurelien Tchouameni be a great Casemiro replacement for Manchester United?
Tchouameni has been a great replacement for Real Madrid following Casemiro's
departure, and hopefully he'll stay with the club for many more years
Do you believe Rodri will join Real Madrid?
Rodri is one of the best players in the world, and I always love seeing the best players at Real Madrid. Right now, Rodri is under contract with Manchester City, but hopefully he’ll be able to wear the Real Madrid jersey in the future.
Cristiano Ronaldo & Lionel Messi
You played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and against Lionel Messi. What made each of them unique and in your opinion, who really is the best?
We’ve been lucky enough to watch these two athletes go head-to-head week after week to see who’s better for so many years; honestly, it’s going to be hard to see anything like that again. I think that after all these years, as far as I’m concerned, they’re both on the same level, and I can’t say one is better than the other since they’re so different.
People still debate the GOAT question. Do you think winning another major international trophy would change anything?
Well, anything can happen, but I think Spain is going to win.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo still good enough to be starting for Portugal, or should he allow a younger team to flourish?
I think that's a question only Portugal's coach has the answer to. Cristiano still has so much to offer, I think it would be a mistake to doubt a professional like Cristiano.
How do you think football will remember the Messi-Ronaldo era fifty years from now? Do you think they are better than the likes of Maradona, R9?
Well, times have changed; everything changes and evolves. Hopefully we'll get to experience something like that soon.
Leadership & Legacy
You captained Spain to the World Cup and European Championship. Who is the best leader in the group now?
I believe that Rodri, given his experience and the kind of player he is, has the leadership qualities to be that key figure on the team
When people talk about Spain's golden generation in the future, what do you hope they remember? And was there a player who didn't get as much credit as they deserved?
Well, that's a great question. To be honest, I don't know how people will remember us, as the “Tiki-Taka” team? Maybe, haha. And one of the players who didn't get much attention but was actually one of the best was Sergio Busquets.
Which teammate had the biggest influence on your career?
I'd say that Fernando Hierro helped me a lot when I was just starting out, and I'd also add that, as a coach, Luis Aragones helped me a great deal as well.
