3 Football legends who left their clubs with their heads down
This summer saw a legend of football say goodbye to his beloved club. Andres Iniesta spent most of his life at Barcelona and left the club knowing his legendary status is intact. But not all players left their club as legends. Let us take a look at those who fell from their thrones on their way out of their clubs:
1. Iker Casillas
Casillas was one of the best goalkeepers of his time. While he still plays today, he is a shadow of the legend he was. He was one of the most respected players at his club Real Madrid, where he had spent more than 16 years guarding the Los Blancos goalpost.
However, his exit from the club was spectacular and heartbreaking for many fans. It all started with a hand injury which led his compatriot Diego Lopez to take his place. Casillas was not guaranteed a starting place when he returned due to Lopez's good form.
There were also stories that there was a disagreement between several of Real Madrid's senior players and then Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho. Real Madrid had not been playing their best football and this led to Mourinho being sacked.
The new manager, Carlo Ancelotti, started López in LaLiga but did make a pact with Casillas to play him in the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League, the two tournaments Real Madrid won in the 2013/14 season, and Casillas accepted it.
While Diego Lopez was sold to AC Milan after the 2013/14 season, Madrid bought Keylor Navas after his exploits in the World Cup 2014. Casillas was the starter during the 2014/15 season, but there were rumours that he was leaking information out to the press about his team.
Whether those rumours were true or not, it quickly turned Casillas from Legend to Villian. This was the beginning of the end for the Spanish captain who lifted the 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euro Cup.
In 2015, a tearful Casillas left Real Madrid. While he joined FC Porto and still plies his trade with them, the hurtful episode with his beloved club surely has left a black mark in his incredible career.