Cañizares was born in 1969 in Puertollano, province of Ciudad Real. He is one of the goalkeepers of Spanish football most remembered, both for the clubs where he has gone, and for his time in the Spanish National Team.

They have been important his step by Real Madrid CF team and by Valencia CF for which tab in 1998, entering the history of the club getting the team in 1999 the Copa del Rey. In the 2001-2002 season, the League, as in the 2003-2004 season and in that same season wins a Spanish Super Cup, a UEFA Cup and a European Super Cup. He also won two consecutive Champions League sub-championships in the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons.

On May 18, 2008, Santiago Cañizares played his last match as a Valencia player against Atlético de Madrid.

After rejecting several offers from the English Premier League and North American Major League Soccer decided to hang up the boots, becoming a sports commentator. It was premiered at Cadena SER, during the second leg of the Spanish Super Cup 2008, played on August 24, between two of its former teams: Real Madrid and Valencia CF.7 In July 2009 he commented with Juanma Castaño and with Raúl Ruiz the National Football Championship that was broadcast in Cuatro.

In 2010 he competed for the first time in a scoring event for the Spanish Rally Championship, in the Sierra Morena Rally, with a Suzuki Swift and driving co-driver Dani Cué. In 2011 he is part of the Suzuki Ibérica Motor sports team with which he continues to drive a Suzuki Swift with his co-driver Dani Cué. In addition, it also participates in classic rally events.