Cañizares: "Valencia CF took us to the elite level of football."

The most successful and recognisable goalkeeper in Valencia CF history, with two LaLiga titles, the UEFA Cup, two Copas del Rey, one European Supercup, one Spanish Supercopa and the Intertoto Cup from his decade at the club, Santi Cañizares has exceptionally fond memories of Mestalla.
He will not be participating in the VCF Legends game on Sunday due to injury, but didn't want to miss out on the Centenary celebrations, and spoke with VCF Media in an in-depth interview this week.

Arriving in Valencia
"I joined Valencia CF in 1998. I was at Real Madrid before that, in the last year of my contract, and I had an offer to renew with them. But I was 28, and I felt like I really wanted to enjoy my sporting career 100%. I didn't have the security at Real Madrid of being the first choice goalkeeper, and despite the fact that the offer to renew was better financially than Valencia CF's offer, I decided to go to Valencia. Andoni Zubizarreta had confirmed that he was leaving the month before, and I thought that at Valencia CF I could have the best years of my career and be one of the important people for the project. My role would change a little, and that was a fundamental reason for me going. It was a fantastic bargain for Valencia CF, because I joined on a free and they didn't have to pay any transfer fee. At the time, I was also the goalkeeper for the Spanish national team. Imagine Valencia CF needing a player now, and finding one who was in his prime -28 years old-, an international, and available for free. I think that the signing favoured both parties very much."

Favourite achievements
"The 2002 LaLiga title is my favourite, because it was historic. Beyond the fact that I was the captain, that it would be me who lifted the trophy, that it was me who would be in the photos.... things that have the least transcendence... Making history and winning LaLiga with a team who hadn't won it in 31 years is very difficult. It's difficult and at the same time generates a lot of joy. There were people who had forgotten about this type of situation, thinking that they would never see their team win the league. That title in 2002, because of the joy that we had at the time, and because of the way we celebrated it in Valencia, was the happiest moment for me personally with Valencia CF."

Valencia CF's role in his success
"For me and for the majority of the players at that time, Valencia CF took us to the elite level of football. That's obviously the realisation of a dream that everybody has. Everybody wants to play for a team who fight at the highest level in Europe. I was fortunate enough to achieve that goal through Valencia CF. It allowed me to go from a situation in which I was just a goalkeeper, to being on a par with the best in Europe. That was because of the club's structure, defence, coach, tactics... This is maybe 15 years ago now, but people still stop me in the street and say 'Hey, Cañizares! The Valencia CF player!" I have that name for life now. The link between Valencia CF and I is obviously something that will be longlasting. I think it was a very good symbiosis between us. It was -and still is- exceptional."

Watch the full VCF Media interview with Cañizares for more stories from his time at Valencia CF