For Peter Schmeichel to mention Santiago Canizares as “one of the finest goalkeepers in the world” is a true testament to the retired Spanish stopper.
Celebrating his 47th birthday today, at his peak, Canizares was one of the best around.
Having began at Real Madrid, chances were hard to come by at the Bernabeu, resulting in a switch to Valencia. It was there where he began to make a name for himself.
In his 10 years at the Mestalla, he quickly established himself as the number one and continued to go from strength to strength.
In a formidable side, he enjoyed his most successful stint including two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey crowns and the UEFA Cup.
He retired aged 39, appearing in 500 league matches. On the international stage, he was often second-choice but still managed to win 46 caps for his country.
Other sports stars who were born on this day:
1966: Gianluca Pagliuca, former Internazionale and Italy goalkeeper who won 39 caps for the Azzurri (50).
1980: Benjamin Watson, American football tight end for the Baltimore Ravens (36).
1986: Usman Khawaja, a qualified pilot and now a cricketer for the Australian national team (30).
1988: Lizzie Deignan (nee Armitstead), Commonwealth and former world champion cyclist (28).