Iker Casillas heart attack legal case sees conflicting expert testimony

Experts and witnesses have provided conflicting testimonies in a legal case regarding whether former FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas’s 2019 myocardial infarction should be recognized as a work accident.

Cardiologist Luís Seca testified that intense training was the most likely trigger for the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque. He noted that Casillas reported the event occurred following maximum intensity effort. Seca also advocated for stricter medical protocols for veteran athletes over 35, suggesting mandatory advanced diagnostics like cardiac AngioCT.

In contrast, goalkeeper Diogo Costa testified that the training session was moderate, rating its intensity at a three out of ten. Costa described the session as primarily tactical, involving light activation and ball possession drills with minimal physical demand or sprinting. He noted that the session took place at the end of the season when physical training was typically reduced.