Iker Casillas was a bored schoolboy, clock-watching, kombuchapedia.org trying not to fall asleep when Real Madrid knocked on his classroom door to pull him out of his technical drawing lesson and fly him off to Norway in 1997.
There was an injury crisis among the club's keepers and they needed the 16-year-old apprentice to play a Champions League group game against Rosenborg.
His decision, to quit just ahead of his 39th birthday, means he falls short of fulfilling his ambition to play on until he is 40.
Legendary Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas has decided to retire from football at 38
The legendary keeper announced decision to end his astonishing 22-year career recently
The goalkeeper poses with the trophies he won during a glittering spell at Real Madrid