Santiago Cañizares

José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse sanˈtjaɣo kaɲiˈθaɾes ˈrwiθ]; born 18 December 1969) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a goalkeeper, currently a rally driver.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cañizares and the second or maternal family name is Ruiz.

Santiago Cañizares
Cañizares with Valencia in 2006
Personal information
Full name José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz[1]
Date of birth (1969-12-18) 18 December 1969[1]
Place of birth Madrid, Spain[2]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Calvo Sotelo
1985–1988 Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1989 Real Madrid C
1989–1990 Real Madrid B 35 (0)
1988–1992 Real Madrid 0 (0)
1990–1991 → Elche (loan) 7 (0)
1991–1992 → Mérida (loan) 38 (0)
1992–1994 Celta 74 (0)
1994–1998 Real Madrid 41 (0)
1998–2008 Valencia 305 (0)
Total 500 (0)
International career
1985–1986 Spain U16 10 (0)
1987 Spain U17 1 (0)
1986–1988 Spain U18 8 (0)
1988–1989 Spain U19 5 (0)
1989–1990 Spain U20 6 (0)
1990–1991 Spain U21 3 (0)
1991–1992 Spain U23 6 (0)
1993–2006 Spain 46 (0)
Medal record
Representing  Spain
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1992
UEFA European Under-16 Championship
Winner1986
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

A product of Real Madrid's youth academies, he eventually joined the first team but proved unable to establish himself there, being loaned out twice. He moved to Valencia in 1998, appearing in 418 official matches over the next decade and winning several major titles, including two La Liga championships and the 2004 UEFA Cup.[3]

Cañizares represented Spain in three World Cups and as many European Championships, and won a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. In 2004, Peter Schmeichel said that he regarded him as the "finest goalkeeper in world football".[4]

Club career

Born in Madrid but raised in Puertollano, Castile-La Mancha from where his parents hailed,[5][1] Cañizares started his career with Real Madrid in 1988, playing initially with its C-team. He started professionally with Elche CF, CP Mérida and RC Celta de Vigo, making his first La Liga appearance with the Galicians in the 1992–93 season, missing only two league games during his tenure and subsequently returning to Real Madrid.[6]

Unable to cement a starting place, his best output being 26 matches during 1997–98 (but he lost his place in the final part of the year to Bodo Illgner, thus missing the 1998 Champions League final),[7][8] Cañizares moved to Valencia CF in 1998 to replace the retired Andoni Zubizarreta. He helped the club to win the Spanish Cup and Supercup finals in 1999, also reaching consecutive UEFA Champions League finals (2000 and 2001, saving a penalty from FC Bayern Munich's Mehmet Scholl in normal time of an eventual penalty shootout defeat in the latter edition)[9] and winning national championships in 2002 and 2004, adding the UEFA Cup and Supercup 2004 finals;[10] following the latter campaign, the 34-year-old renewed his contract with the Che for a further two years.[11]

In December 2007 Cañizares, alongside teammates Miguel Ángel Angulo and David Albelda, was axed by manager Ronald Koeman,[12] with all three players limited to training and unable to join another side in Spain, having already played four league games. In late April 2008, however, with Koeman's sacking, all three were reinstated by new coach Voro in a squad seriously threatened with relegation, with five rounds remaining; he returned to action on 27 April 2008 as Timo Hildebrand and Juan Luis Mora were injured, in a 3–0 home win against CA Osasuna.[13]

On 16 May 2008, Cañizares agreed to end his contract with Valencia and leave the club.[14] He played his final game two days later against Atlético Madrid,[15] retiring shortly after at almost 39 years of age and having appeared in exactly 500 league matches – both major levels combined – during exactly two decades.

International career

Cañizares was capped 46 times for Spain, the first on 17 November 1993: Zubizarreta was sent off in the tenth minute of a decisive 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Denmark, and he made his debut in heroic fashion, keeping a clean sheet in the 1–0 home win and ensuring qualification at the expense of the Danes themselves.[16][17]

However, Cañizares was often second choice, and only played five games in the major international scene: one in the 1994 World Cup (as Zubi served a one-match ban), three in UEFA Euro 2000 and one in the 2006 World Cup. He was also a squad member at Euro 1996, the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2004[18] but did not play, blocked by Zubizarreta in the 1990s and Iker Casillas in 2004; he was equally an unused player in the gold winning squad at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where Toni Jiménez appeared in all matches.[19][20]

Cañizares' club form ensured himself starter status in the 2002 World Cup, but he missed out on the tournament due to an accident with an aftershave bottle, which resulted in a severed tendon in his foot.[21] He was also in Spain's squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, making his only appearance in Germany and last in his international career in the last group match, a 1–0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Kaiserslautern.[22]

Rallying career

In October 2010, Cañizares competed for the first time in a scoring event for the Spanish Rally Championship, driving a Suzuki Swift with co-driver Dani Cué in the Sierra Morena Rally.[23] The following year, with the same car and the same partner, he was part of the Suzuki Ibérica Motor Sport team.[24]

During a session in the 2016 Sierra Morena Rally, Cañizares crashed his vehicle after attempting to break coming into a bend. He eventually emerged unharmed from the accident.[25]

On 17 June 2017, Cañizares earned his first victory by winning the Rally de la Cerámica with a Porsche 997.[26][27] Later that year, he was crowned Valencian Community champion.[28]

Post-retirement and personal life
A representation of Cañizares at the 2019 Falles

After retiring, Cañizares worked as a commentator.[29][30] He fathered seven children from his two marriages, including triplets with his second wife Mayte García.[31]

On 23 March 2018, Cañizares announced the death of his five-year-old son Santi due to cancer.[32] In 2019, he was subjected to controversy after making disapproving comments on the circumstances of José Antonio Reyes' death; following immediate social media backlash, he issued a more compassionate statement of clarification.[33]

On 16 October 2020, it was reported that Cañizares' son Lucas would be included in the squad list of Real Madrid for a league match against Cádiz CF.[34]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[35][36]
Club Season League Copa del Rey Europe Other[lower-alpha 1] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Real Madrid 1988–89 000000——00
Castilla 1989–90 35020————370
Elche (loan) 1990–91 7020————90
Mérida (loan) 1991–92 38000————380
Celta 1992–93 36010————370
1993–94 38070————450
Total 740800000820
Real Madrid 1994–95 100020——30
1995–96 120101020160
1996–97 2000————20
1997–98 260006020340
Total 410109040550
Valencia 1998–99 38060100——540
1999–2000 2302013020400
2000–01 37000180——550
2001–02 3201070——400
2002–03 3100012020450
2003–04 3700070——440
2004–05 290007020380
2005–06 3600050——410
2006–07 32010110——440
2007–08 1000050——150
Total 3050100950604160
Career total 500023010401006370
  1. Includes other competitive competitions, including the Supercopa de España

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[37]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Spain 199310
199450
199520
199610
199700
199850
199970
200050
200160
200240
200330
200450
200500
200620
Total460

Honours

Real Madrid

Valencia

Spain U16

Spain U23

Individual

See also

References
  1. "Santiago Cañizares inaugura mañana en Puertollano el pabellón con su nombre" [Santiago Cañizares to inaugurate pavilion in Puertollano named after him tomorrow]. La Información (in Spanish). 20 June 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  2. "Santiago CAÑIZARES Ruiz". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  3. "Villa gives Valencia leaving present". FIFA. 18 May 2008. Archived from the original on 20 May 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  4. "Schmeichel's top Euro keepers". BBC. 4 June 2004. Retrieved 26 July 2006.
  5. "Cañizares – Entrevista exclusiva" [Cañizares – Exclusive interview] (in Spanish). Sólo Porteros. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  6. "Santiago Cañizares" (in Spanish). Yo Jugué en el Celta. 13 April 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. Carbajosa, Carlos E. (31 January 1998). "Se agranda la portería del Real Madrid" [Real Madrid goal gets larger]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  8. Sanfeliu, A. (26 May 2006). "19. Cañizares: Una promesa del judo que acabó bajo palos" [19. Cañizares: A judo promise that ended between the posts]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  9. "Bayern crowned European champions". BBC Sport. 23 May 2001. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  10. "Valencia 2–0 Marseille". BBC Sport. 19 May 2004. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  11. "Cañizares commits to Valencia". UEFA. 26 July 2004. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  12. "Koeman ratifica el despido de Albelda, Cañizares y Angulo" [Koeman confirms Albelda, Cañizares and Angulo's axeing]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 28 December 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  13. "Valencia 3–0 Osasuna". ESPN Soccernet. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  14. "Cañizares se desvincula del Valencia" [Cañizares cuts ties with Valencia]. El País (in Spanish). 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  15. "Valencia 3–1 Atlético Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  16. Fernández, Alberto (17 November 2015). "Cañizares debutaba en la selección siendo céltico" [Cañizares made national team debut as a céltico]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  17. "Santiago Canizares". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  18. "Sáez selects Spain squad". UEFA. 20 May 2004. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  19. Morenilla, Juan (25 February 2007). "Supervivientes de oro" [Golden survivors]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  20. "La Roja de 1992, nuestra medalla de oro Olímpica" [1992's La Roja, our Olympic gold medal] (in Spanish). Antena 3. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  21. "Canizares out of World Cup". BBC Sport. 17 May 2002. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  22. "Saudi Arabia 0–1 Spain". BBC Sport. 23 June 2006. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  23. "Cañizares con Suzuki en el Rallye Sierra Morena" [Cañizares with Suzuki in the Sierra Morena Rally] (in Spanish). Suzuki. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  24. "Entrevista a Santiago Cañizares" [Interview to Santiago Cañizares] (in Spanish). A Todo Motor. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  25. "Espectacular accidente de Cañizares en un rally" [Spectacular accident from Cañizares in rally]. La Nueva España (in Spanish). 12 April 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  26. Villarín, Nacho (17 June 2017). "Santiago Cañizares estrena su marcador como piloto de rallies" [Santiago Cañizares starts scoring as a rally driver]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  27. "Santiago Cañizares gana el Rally de la Cerámica" [Santiago Cañizares wins the Rally de la Cerámica]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 19 June 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  28. "Santiago Cañizares, campeón de rallys de la Comunidad Valenciana" [Santiago Cañizares, Valencian Community rallying champion]. Marca (in Spanish). 26 November 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  29. Pascual, Roger (26 August 2008). "Silva, Hildebrand, Mijatovic e Iturralde, víctimas del debut de Cañizares como comentarista" [Silva, Hildebrand, Mijatovic and Iturralde, victims of Cañizares' commentator debut]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  30. "'El Día Después' resucita con Juanma Castaño y Santi Cañizares" ['El Día Después' comes back to life with Juanma Castaño and Santi Cañizares] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  31. "Santiago Cañizares, la aventura de ser padre... de siete hijos" [Santiago Cañizares, the adventure of being a father... of seven sons] (in Spanish). ¡Hola!. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  32. "Muere el hijo de Santiago Cañizares a los cinco años" [Son of Santiago Cañizares dies at the age of five]. El País (in Spanish). 23 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  33. "Spain legend Santago Canizares sparks debate after tragic death of Jose Antonio Reyes". Fox Sports. 2 June 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  34. Cerezo, Hugo; García-Ochoa, J.I. (16 October 2020). "¡Zidane convoca a Lucas, el hijo de Santi Cañizares!" [Zidane calls Lucas, son of Santi Cañizares!]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  35. "Cañizares: José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz". BDFutbol. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  36. "Santiago Cañizares". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  37. Pla Díaz, Emilio. "José Santiago Cañizares Ruiz – International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  38. "Team of the Year 2001". UEFA. 3 January 2002. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
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