Iker Casillas is the current frontrunner to be named as the goalkeeper in France Football's Ballon d'Or Dream Team on December 17. The former Real Madrid, Porto and Spain star stands above all of the opposition with collective and individual titles and records.
The publication made the decision not to award the Ballon d'Or this year due to COVID-19, but have instead decided to recognise some of the greatest player's in the game's history. The usual 170 representatives will be responsible for voting for the XI players who make up the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. The side will be selected to fit a 3-4-3 formation.
Casillas is up against some iconic names for the goalkeeping role. Gordon Banks, Thomas Nkono, Gianluigi Buffon, Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, Sepp Maier, Lev Yashin, Manuel Neuer, and Dino Zoff are all contenders. None of them, though, can boast more honours than the Spanish World Cup winner.
With a World Cup, two European Championships and three European Cups to his name, Casillas is favourite. Banks, Buffon, Maier, Neuer and Zoff are also world champions, but the Champions League and European Championship triumphs elevate Iker.
Casillas is also the one with the most Club World Cup and European Super Cup titles to his name, and the only player with an Under-20 World Cup win as well. Not forgetting the 14 domestic titles he collected throughout his career.
On an individual level he's won everything. His honours include being named in UEFA's best team six times, FIFA's XI five times, a Zamora trophy, a World Cup ideal team inclusion, being named the European Championship's best goalkeeper twice, and plenty more as well.
Casillas has played more Champions League games (177) than any other goalkeeper, and he's the youngest to win the title, doing so with Madrid at 19 years and four days old in 2000 against Valencia.
Bayern4eva
88
He may not win this, but he's won more than this, he's won my heart and that of millions of other onlookers even rivals. We call him the GOATKeeper and no matter what he'll remain the GOAT of Keepers, ManWall Neuer
elmoney
60
this Ballon d'or dream team will be made by madrid players
sehajbains_02
37
Casillas and Buffon can be regarded as the best Goalkeepers of this century Casillas was more successful than Buffon where he won 1 WC and 2 Euro Internationally and Buffon won 1 WC only Buffon failed to win UCL in his entire career but Casillas won 3 Consequently, Casillas > Buffon But the way Buffon seems hungrier till today at the age of 42 he takes the spot of the best of all time