Casillas, according to national coach Vicente del
Bosque.
Spain head coach Vicente del Bosque says David de Gea
possesses the quality to match the career achievements of Iker
Casillas.
The former Real Madrid captain has won the World Cup and
back-to-back European Championship titles with the national
team, as well as five Liga crowns and three Champions Leagues
in a glittering playing career to date.
Casillas, now of Porto, was also handed a special award by the
Spanish government on Tuesday in recognition of his
achievements in sport.
Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea, who almost replaced
Casillas at Madrid during the transfer window, has developed
into one of Europe's finest goalkeepers in recent seasons and
has emerged as the main threat to the 34-year-old's place in the
Spain starting XI.
He Del Bosque has no doubt De Gea can emulate the achievements
of Casillas, but warned it will not prove an easy task.
"He has the ability to emulate him, yes," he told The Guardian.
"We forget sometimes that he has spent four or five seasons as
Manchester United's goalkeeper. And if you look at the other
keepers they've had, that's the business.
"This is the goal defended by [Peter] Schmeichel, [Edwin] Van
der Sar, [Fabien] Barthez: three great goalkeepers. And then
along comes this kid and, bit by bit, establishes himself.
"But look, it's very difficult to do what Iker has done, in terms of
quality and quantity."
Both goalkeepers are in Del Bosque's squad for this
month's friendly matches with England and Belgium.
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