It's official: Iker Casillas announces to run for RFEF presidency

Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas attends the 2020 UEFA Football Championship final draw ceremony at Romexpo in Bucharest, Romania, November 30, 2019. /VCG Photo

Iker Casillas, former Real Madrid goalkeeper, announced on Monday that he will run for presidency of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) as an official candidate in the election.

The Spanish football legend announced his decision on Twitter: "Yes, I will run for the presidency of the RFEF when the elections are called. Together we will put our federation at the top of the best football in the world."

Though he still has a player contract with Porto in the Primeira Liga, the 38-year-old has not played in any game since he suffered a heart attack last year. "I have informed my club, FC Porto, to whom I can only express my deepest gratitude, of my decision."

Luis Rubiales, incumbent president of the RFEF. /VCG Photo

If Casillas attends the election, he will be competing with RFEF's incumbent boss, Luis Rubiales, who is not very popular at the moment. Since he took over in May, 2018, Rubiales has changed manager of the Spanish national team four times and the way he did it was hardly proper.

On June 13, 2018, days before Spain's first game against Portugal at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, Rubiales sacked Spain's manager Julen Lopetegui and replaced him with Fernando Hierro who only had one year of coaching experience. After Spain were knocked by Russia in the Round of 16, Rubiales fired Hierro and put Luis Enrique in the position.

Enrique coached Spain for almost a year and left a 8-2 record before he quit for personal reasons, This time, Rubiales got Robert Moreno as the new manager. Though Moreno led Spain to qualify for the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, Rubiales gave sacked him and gave the job to Enrique again.

Iker Casillas #1 of Spain holds the FIFA World Cup championship trophy after Spain defeat the Netherlands 1-0 in the WOrld Cup Final at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, July 11, 2010. /VCG Photo

Rubiales's trouble is not over with the national team's manager. He and Javier Tebas, president of La Liga are nearly mortal enemies. Neither of these will help him in the competition with Casillas, one of the greatest football heroes of Spain.

Casillas became the goalkeeper of the national team in 2000 and has been guarding the team's last defensive line for 167 games in 16 years. He helped Spain win two European Championship titles (2008 and 2012) and one World Cup championship (2010).