Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon share a hug after legendary Champions League last-16 clash between Porto and Juventus
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TWO of the game’s greatest-ever goalkeepers went head-to-head at the Estadio Dragao: Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon.
And after the match they shared a hug as a mark of mutual respect.
Buffon's Juventus ran out 2-0 winners over Casillas' Porto in Portugal's second city.
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Goals from Marko Pjaca and Dani Alves followed a yellow card for Porto's Alex Telles.
Buffon has been playing first team football since 1995, when he made his Serie A debut for Parma at the age of 17.
While Casillas was named on the Real Madrid bench aged 16 in 1997 and made his debut two years later.
For almost 20 years, the pair have competed for the title of the world’s best goalkeeper.
And from 2006 to 2012, they officially were.
Buffon held the mantle in 2006 and 2007, with Casillas taking over for the subsequent five seasons before age and the emergence of Manuel Neuer took over.
The Italian icon, who is three years the Spaniard’s senior, was the first to taste Champions League action — making his debut at Sparta Prague with Parma and kept a clean sheet.
It was a time when only the best runners-up qualified from the group and Serie A side finished behind Borussia Dortmund to fall at the first hurdle.
Though, Buffon did keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over the German defending champions.
In the summer of 2001, Juventus made him the world's most expensive goalkeeper when they signed him for £32million.
What Iker Casillas said about Gianluigi Buffon
"Gigi is a great person — a role model for all of us. For the footballing world he is already a legend, and it's great he continues to play.
For me, it was great growing up and developing my skills alongside such a great goalkeeper.
He started his career very early. He's actually three years older than me, but he was successful very quickly and, for eight or nine years, he has been one of the best three, or let's say five, goalkeepers in the world.
The other top keepers always change, but he is always among the best."
However, despite making over 100 appearances in the competition, he is yet to taste success — with two final defeats.
In 2003, Juventus were beaten on penalties by AC Milan after a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.
And 12 years later, Barcelona won 3-1 in Berlin to complete a remarkable Treble — and prevented the Bianconeri doing so.
Buffon’s not done too badly, though.
He has still tasted European success, winning the Uefa Cup with Parma in 1999, while he also has seven Serie A titles — although two were rescinded following the infamous match-fixing scandal.
And he won the World Cup with Italy in 2006.
Casillas, meanwhile, was a substitute for Real Madrid’s trip to Rosenborg in 1997 and the age of 16.
His full debut came in 1999 but he conceded three in a draw with Olympiakos — and is now the competition’s record appearance maker with 162.
He was first choice in the 1999-00 season and produced a masterclass as they knocked out defending champions, Manchester United in the semi-finals.
Iker Casillas achievements
Real Madrid La Liga (5) : 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12
Copa del Rey (2): 2010–11, 2013–14
Supercopa de Espana (4): 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012
Champions League (3): 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2013–14
Uefa Super Cup (2): 2002, 2014
Fifa Club World Cup: 2014
Intercontinental Cup: 2002
Spain
Fifa World Cup: 2010
Uefa European Championship: 2008, 2012
Individual
La Liga Best Goalkeeper (2): 2009, 2012
Fifa FIFPro World XI (5): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Uefa Team of the Year (6): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
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That season, Casillas would won his first Champions League medal, keeping a clean sheet as Real Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 and became the youngest victor, aged 19.
Two years later, he got a second gong — though poor form had seen him replaced by future Tottenham goalkeeper, Cesar Sanchez.
Casillas soon regained his place and remained first choice for the club until the 2012-13 season, when he felt foul of Jose Mourinho, who opted to use him sparingly.
Following the Portuguese boss’ departure at the end of that season, he regained his place and won a third Champions League title.
And one season later, he bid a tearful goodbye and began his new adventure in the Primeira Liga.
He was Spain’s No.1 choice for the 2002 World Cup and produced a stop against South Korea in the quarter-finals which would make it onto Fifa’s list of top ten saves ever.
While he also parried two Ireland penalties in the last-16 spot-kicks victory and earned the nickname ‘Saint Iker’.
Gianluigi Buffon achievements
Parma
Coppa Italia: 1998–99
Supercoppa Italiana: 1999
Uefa Cup: 1998–99
Juventus
Serie A (7): 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06,2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
Serie B: 2006–07
Coppa Italia (2): 2014–15, 2015–16
Supercoppa Italiana (5): 2002, 2003, 2012, 2013, 2015
Italy
World Cup: 2006
Individual
Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year (11): 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016
Fifa FIFPro World XI (2): 2006, 2007
Uefa Team of the Year (4): 2003, 2004, 2006, 2016
Remarkably, he would go onto feature in another three other World Cup finals — and captain La Roja to success in 2010.
While he also won the Euros either side of the South Africa showpiece in a period of unparalleled dominance by Spain.
He was even in the squad for Euro 2016, though he didn’t make an appearance.
Gianluigi Buffon on Iker Casillas
“Casillas said good things about me, so now I will tell you many bad things about him!
Honestly, I don't have to use up many words to say how good he is, the results are there for all to see.
He has won everything there is to win and has been on the same great level for so many years now, which is possibly hardest of all for a goalkeeper.
Spain almost never concede goals and Casillas is the main reason for that.”
Buffon and Casillas have met eight time at club level with Italian coming out on top in all three knock-out ties from 2003 to 2015.
Though it was role reversal when they met in the Euro 2012 final.
Now, they pair are 39 and 35 respectively with mistakes appearing in their games.
This tie may be the last time they face-off on a football field.
And much like the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry at one end of the field.
It’s just remarkable to think these two goalkeepers have maintained such a high level for so long at the same time.