Jorge Campos, former Mexican national team player, said he does not understand why Iker Casillas was not called up to the World Cup, in which Spain was eliminated in the round of 16 by the host country Russia.
"Casillas has shown that he is one of the best in the world. It would have been good for him to come to the World Cup. I don't know what happened. It's difficult to get into a coach's head," he told the EFE news agency.
However, Campos avoided criticizing David de Gea, Spain's starting goalkeeper, who has been questioned for his discreet performance in the tournament. According to the Mexican, the Manchester United player was not to blame for Spain's elimination.
"I don't blame the goalkeeper. That's the easiest thing to do. Strikers miss and they are never blamed. Then, when they win, it's because of the striker," he said.
"De Gea is a goalkeeper who still has a lot to give to Spain. He has proven to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world and I don't think it's his fault. They all lost control. They suffered something drastic. It had never happened before that a coach would leave two days before coming from a long process," he added.
Jorge Campos played in the 1994 World Cup and the 1998 World Cup, in which his country reached the round of 16. He was also called up for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, but did not play.
Campos became famous not only for his excellent saves, but also for his colorful outfits, which didn't go unnoticed in the matches he played. He is also known for having played as a forward, scoring several goals for the teams he defended. (With information from EFE)