Casillas\’ gift to lady love Sara - a kiss in front of camera

JOHANNESBURG - An emotional World Cup winning captain Iker Casillas could not hold back tears when television presenter Sara Carboneroin, who also happens to be his girlfriend, asked him in a live interview how he felt after the triumph.

Casillas looked at her with moist eyes even as Sara, who was blamed for the team\’s loss in the opening game against Switzerland, gave him some time to compose himself in front of the camera in the wee hours Monday.

But Casillas took her by surprise when he grabbed and kissed her, saying: \”No. this is what I want to do.\”

Sara, who works for Spanish channel Tele-5, has been the talking point after European champions Spain stumbled in the first match. Sara was spotted close to the goalkeeper, who was giving her pre-match updates, from right behind the goal.

Her sideline antics had drawn a lot of criticism and Sara was accused of distracting the goalkeeper, who fumbled and conceded a goal against the Swiss.

Since then Sara, who was once voted as the sexiest television anchor, had maintained a low profile and was hardly seen at team\’s practice sessions. And now Casillas is a hero after bringing off a couple of great saves in the final. He was named the goalkeeper of the World Cup and received the Golden Glove.

Spanish fans found her missing Sunday when the match was on.

\”Her absence was a blessing in disguise for the team, otherwise we could have lost the match,\” a delighted fan Pedro Camanora, who came all the way from Madrid, told IANS.

Juliana Joseph, from Barcelona, concurred. \”She can do whatever she likes with Casillas now. But in the first match she was a distraction for the captain.\”

(Abhishek Roy can be contacted at