The Start of the Galactic era

 

His debut in the First Division and as a starter with the first team, took place in "La Catedral", San Mamés, on September 12, 1999, with the result against Athletic 2-2 Real Madrid. In that first season 1999/2000, he also became the youngest goalkeeper to play and win a Champions League Final, achieving "La Octava" for the club. At the end of that year 2000, he received the Bravo Trophy for the best young footballer in Europe.

With the arrival of Florentino Pérez as president, after winning the 2000 elections, a sports policy called "Zidanes y Pavones" was introduced at the club, based on having the best players in the world, combined with a strong promotion of home-grown players. In 2002, following the signing of Ronaldo Nazario, the press coined the term "Galacticos" to refer to this star-studded team.

In that first 2000/01 season, with Florentino Perez at the helm of the club, they won the first of their five championships to date, reaching the semifinals of the Champions League. The following 2001/02 season, Iker lost his starting place, and César Sánchez was proclaimed starter, by decision of coach Vicente del Bosque. However, this season was a turning point in the career of Iker Casillas, which took place in the Champions League Final played in Glasgow against German team Bayer Leverkusen. In that final, the starting goalkeeper was César, who suffered an injury and had to be replaced by Iker, who, together with Zidane and his famous volley goal, turned out to be the great hero of "La Novena", with three wonderful interventions in the final minutes, thus winning his second Champions League in three years. After that final, he became an undisputed starter in the team and in the Spanish national team, with which he played that summer in the 2002 World Cup, in which he also had an outstanding performance.