Santiago Canizares is a Spanish professional ex-soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently semi-professional in rally racing. During his career, he played for clubs such as Celta, Real Madrid and Valencia, where he spent ten seasons and won many trophies. In the period from 1992 to 2006 he played for the national team of Spain, spent 46 matches. Previously played in all age teams of the national team, from 1985 to 1992. He is a four-time winner of the Zamora trophy (awarded only to goalkeepers who have achieved the lowest goals conceded during the whole season).
Santiago Canizares: career
Born December 18, 1969 in Madrid, Spain. He began his football career at the Calvo Sotel Academy. At the age of 16, he joined the Real Academy. Three years later, he ended up at Real Castilio. Having played a few matches here, he was leased. Thus, from 1990 to 1994, the Spanish goalkeeper replaced three clubs - this is Elche, Merida and Celta. In the period from 1988 to 1998, he played 41 matches for Real Madrid (taking into account the youth and backup squads) and conceded 43 goals.
Football club "Valencia"
In the 1994-1995 season, he returned to Real Madrid, and three years later was sold to Valencia. As part of the “bats,” Canisares replaced the retiring goalkeeper Andoni Subisarreta. Santiago quickly adapted to the new team and earned credibility among teammates. After several seasons, Santiago Canizares achieved the status of one of the best goalkeepers of the 21st century, he was important for both Valencia and the Spanish national team.
In this club he spent exactly 10 seasons. During this time, the team achieved considerable success. “Orange” became two-time champions of Spain (2002 and 2004), two-time winners of the Spanish Cup (1999 and 2008), winners of the Super Cup of Spain (1999), winners of the tournament for the UEFA Cup (2004), winners of the UEFA Super Cup (2004) and the Champions League finalists in 2000 and 2001.
In December 2007, a conflict occurred in the club, as a result of which the contract with Santiago Canisares was terminated. The then coach of “Valencia” Ronald Kuman initiated this showdown. In April 2008, Canisares returned to the club, this happened after the scandalous dismissal of Ronald Cuman. At that time, all the goalkeepers were injured in the "bats", so the experienced Canisares had to fix the situation in the club for a short while. On May 18 of the same year, he defended at the gate in a farewell match against Atletico Madrid (victory of Valencia 3-1).
In total, from 1998 to 2008 he played 301 games for Valencia, in which he missed 281 goals, which is a normal result. For example, Iker Casillas during his seventeen-year career at Real played 510 matches and conceded 525 goals.
Career for Spain
Santiago passed all the age teams of the national team. Speaking for the Olympic team, he became the 1992 Olympic champion in Barcelona. The debut for the national team took place on November 17, 1993 in the qualifying match of the 1994 World Cup against Denmark (after the main goalkeeper of the “Red Fury” was removed in the second half). Caniseres stood dry, and the match ended in victory for the Spaniards 1-0.
Despite the wealth and talents of Santiago, throughout his international career he remained the goalkeeper of the second plan (in the 90s he insured Subisarreta, and since 2004 - Iker Casillas). For 14 years, he has played 45 matches in the “red fury”, of which 5 were in world and European championships (1 match at the 1994 World Cup, 3 at the 2000 European Championships and 1 at the 2006 World Cup). It was announced for the matches of the European Championships 1996 and 2004 and the World Cup 1998, but has never entered the field.
The Spaniard missed the 2002 World Cup due to a rather ridiculous case: Canisares, being at home, dropped a bottle of cologne on his leg, injuring the Achilles tendon. Nevertheless, the Spanish goalkeeper went to the World Cup to support his team in the spectator's stands. Santiago has been to almost all matches, including the losing quarterfinals of the Korean national team in the penalty shootout.
Rally
Since 2011, Santiago Canizares has been taking part in the Spanish Auto Racing Championship. He acts under the auspices of the Suzuki Swift team. In 2017, he achieved his first victory in the overall standings at the Spanish Championship. Santiago is currently a media person. The former goalkeeper of the football club Valencia often speaks in interviews about football topics, and also participates in various entertaining Spanish TV shows (Dancing with the Stars and the like). In 2013, Canisares expressed his opinion on the circumstances of the case of Iker Casillas in Real Madrid: “If I were him, I would have already moved to another club, because the leadership of the“ creamy ”ceased to respect my best goalkeeper.”
The personal life of the hero
Currently, the legend of “Valencia” is resting from football. Santiago loves to play poker, and also participates in rally races.
In his personal life, the football player is doing fine: Canisares has seven children. Three were born from the first marriage (Charlotte, Olivia and Lucas) and four from the second (Sofia and the triplets of India, Martina and Santi).