Casillas: "I think we have a great responsibility"

Iker Casillas works to face each Real Madrid match with maximum intensity and concentration, with the target of winning and continuing to grow with Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. But the Real Madrid goalkeeper, who has always showed his solidarity, yesterday wanted to go beyond sports. The Captain sent a message of support to the family of Dawid Zapisek, who died last Tuesday from a serious degenerative disease. Casillas met him during the last European Football Championship in Poland and Ukraine as he was a massive fan of the goalkeeper. Apart from the message, which will be broadcast by Polish national TV, the Real Madrid player signed the shirt with the words "Dawid, always with you" in Polish, about which he said: "I dedicate this to you with so much love, for them to keep it and always have you in their memory".

Dawid Zapisek and Iker Casillas in Poland last summer

The initiative by the Real Madrid captain, who had the support of Ryszard Schnepf, head of the Polish Embassy in Spain, was done this Tuesday at the Real Madrid Football City. "Firstly, I would like to reiterate my condolences for the family. May Dawid rest in peace. I had the opportunity to be with the family in the last European Football Championship in Poland and the Ukraine. I was there at the same time as him in Gniewino for two days and he was a person raring to live life to the full, so happy to meet the Spanish national team. He had his photo taken with all the players, and his parents, family and friends were happy with all of us", admitted Casillas.

Casillas showed his condolences for the family through social networks in a gesture which moved the Poles. "We are aware of the fact that we are somewhere where a lot of people see us. A lot of people admire us and I believe that we have a great responsibility. Obviously, not everyone will like you, but for those who do, who feel admiration and esteem for you, what better way to give something back to them than by showing such affection and consideration. This case was a sensitive situation, his dream was to meet me, as well as the Spanish national team. I think that the weather was the least important thing", said the goalkeeper.

Dorota Zlinets, who works at the Polish Embassy in Madrid, was in charge of interviewing Iker, who explained to her how he became aware of Dawid's story. "His mum went to our federation delegate. The story caught by attention. He was a boy who wanted to meet us and meet me. He gave me a small present, a teddy bear. Then we spent a few days together when he would came to be close to us. He was very happy, as were we. Just being with him made him so happy. Imagine what that meant for us".

To finish, Casillas wanted to play down the importance of the gesture which the Real Madrid captain was delighted to do and which he would not think twice about doing again. "I think that we are very lucky to be football players and to be admired in so many places around the world. And if, at a given time, you can help a kid to make their dream of seeing you come true, and to be happy, I think it's an privilege we have been given and we are always going to do it", he concluded.

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