Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 00:34
Valencia CF is one of the most important teams in Spanish football. Although it does not go through a good time because of the management of meriton Holdings with Peter Lim, it is still a woolly historical. In fact, it is the fifth team with the most points in the history of the first division, which have been overcome this season by the Atheltic Club. The checker has dressed her big players. Some of them are authentic legends of this sport. Mario Alberto Kempes for example. As far as keepers are concerned, there is a name that shines above the rest due to performance and charisma: Santiago Cañizares.
The Puertollano defended the goal of Mestalla for 10 seasons. In fact, he is the fifth player with the most matches that are played in the history of the club with a total of 413. After passing Mérida, Celta de Vigo and Real Madrid, it was in Valencia where ‘Cañete’ found his place. In the capital of Turia he lifted two competitions, two cups of king, a UEFA cup, a Spanish super cup and another in Europe. Moreover, he played two Champions League finals, although he couldn’t win. His tears in Milan already represented Valencianism and remain in the retina of many fans.
Individually it was also a profitable phase. He received three Zamora trophies as the least beaten goalkeeper of Laliga (2000-01, 2001-02, 2003-04). He also managed to get a stuck in the Spanish team. That uncomfortable accident with the famous colony boat, however, prevented him from starting with ‘La Roja’ in a world cup.
Despite everything that lived well in Valencia, the end in the club was the darkest. Ronald Koeman replaced Quique Sánchez Flores as a cool coach in the middle of the 2007/2008 season. The Dutch coach made the decision to separate Cañizares, Albelda and Angulo from the team. They were very difficult months. Yet he was able to say goodbye to Mestalla on the last day of that season, with a boring on the couch, and put an end to his football career with the applause of his fans.
Cañizares entered the media and decided not to stay linked to Valencia. Although he comments on the news of the microphone team, the fact that is not connected to the club is the reason for a lot of speculation. The normal thing is that many players continue to work for the team of their lives as soon as the withdrawal arrives. For example, former partners such as Miguel Ángel Angulo or Vicente Rodríguez followed that path.
In an interview with El Mundo, Cañizares explained why he did not want to stay connected to Valencia as soon as he had hung his gloves. «As a football player I had three children and I barely acted as a father, I lost his childhood a bit. I ended up in football with 39 years and at that time I never took a flight that would not play. I am never used to vacation. Football absorbs me, and now I want to spend time on my family and my hobbies, ”says the ex -managing.
On the other hand, he explains that he now lives much quieter than when he was a Juagor: «He lived very stressed, before and for football: if he had an injury, he almost came in depression; If he won a match, it was a relief not to have lost it. And I was wearing a lot without having a privileged physique.
