Sergio Aguero and Iker Casillas faced off in a one-v-one five-second penalty shootout in the Kings League – and there was only one winner. The Kings League, for those unaware, is a fascinating tournament co-founded by Barcelona legend Gerard Pique.
Spain’s most famous online streamer, Ibai Llanos, also helped to create the seven-a-side competition that began in 2022. A handful of former footballing superstars have taken part in the tournament, including Brazilian icon Ronaldinho.
Aguero and Casillas were in action for two different teams, and the former stars went head-to-head in a penalty shootout. Except, this was no ordinary penalty shootout. In the Kings League, penalty takers must run from the halfway line and have a total of five seconds to score.
If the five-second timer buzzer sounds and the ball isn’t in the net, it’s a miss. The penalties are reminiscent of the controversial spot-kicks seen in Major League Soccer during the 1990s. But with two of the best the beautiful game has ever seen going head-to-head, who would come out on top?
Who Won Between Casillas & Aguero
It was an enthralling battle between the two legends
So, who came out on top during the battle between Aguero and Casillas? Aguero looked a cut above everyone else in his Kings League displays but met his match in the form of 43-year-old Casillas – one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
Rather than come off his line, Casillas remained still as Aguero charged towards him. The iconic shot-stopper then read the striker’s intentions and pulled off a fine diving save to deny the 36-year-old Argentine. Watch Aguero and Casillas’ one-v-one battle here:
The smile on Casillas’ face said it all. Class is permanent.
To deny one of the greatest finishers of all time at such close range is special, and Aguero was a good sport, too. The Argentine sensation shared a smile with his opposing number before trudging back to the halfway line.
Iker Casillas’ Career
A generational glovesman
Best known for his 16-year spell as a senior player at Real Madrid, Casillas announced his retirement from professional football in August 2020 – one year after suffering a heart attack while training with his final club, FC Porto.
After hanging up his gloves for good, Casillas can live safe in the knowledge that he’s one of the greatest goalkeepers in football history. Winning everything there was on offer at Real Madrid, the ‘keeper cemented himself into the club’s long history as the second-highest appearance-maker at the Santiago Bernabeu (725).
Not only was he successful with his club, but Casillas was integral to Spain’s back-to-back European Championship triumphs in 2008 and 2012. La Roja were the dominant side on the international scene at the time and secured World Cup glory in 2010 with their defensive record being impressive. The formidable presence of Casillas between the sticks struck fear into opposing players, as shown by his one-on-one stop against Arjen Robben in the final.
Sergio Aguero’s Career
One of the finest strikers in Premier League history
Like Casillas, Aguero’s career was also brought to an end due to concerns over his heart. The Manchester City legend had only signed for Barcelona months earlier when an undiagnosed heart condition was detected. He retired from football at the age of 33 in December 2021.
Despite the underwhelming end to his playing days, Aguero’s legacy in the game will live on forever. The ex-Argentina international is the fifth-highest goalscorer in Premier League history, having found the back of the net 184 times.
He had his injury issues, but that didn’t stop the former Atletico Madrid man from writing his name in the history books several times over. He’s responsible for the most iconic moment in Premier League history when he fired in a last-gasp winner against Queens Park Rangers to seal the Citizens’ first success in the competition.
Gerard Pique on Kings League
The Spaniard co-founded the seven-a-side tournament
Speaking to Sky Sports in early 2024, Pique discussed the thinking behind the league that launched in 2022. The former Manchester United and Barcelona centre-back claimed:
“I felt there was a need to appeal to the next generation. There’s a lot of young people who are attracted more to entertainment that is short and exciting.
“It was important to find something where they couldn’t lose focus. What is happening with traditional football is that 90 minutes is too long for the new generation.”
He went on to compare the differences between the Kings League and elite football competitions: “That’s not the case for the semi-finals, the final of the Champions League or the last games of the league, but there are too many games and people get lost in all the competitions. We wanted to create a product that is similar to football as there are a lot of people who like football and they also like the Kings League.”
While he admitted there are radical differences, he’s convinced his competition is beneficial for the youth of today: “It’s a different product with crazy rules, but the key is that I see it as being complementary.”
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 14-10-24.