He started professionally with Elche, Mérida and Celta de Vigo, making his first La Liga appearance with the Galicians in the 1992–93 season, missing only two league games during his tenure and subsequently returning to Real Madrid.

[11] In December 2007, Cañizares, alongside teammates Miguel Ángel Angulo and David Albelda, was axed by manager Ronald Koeman,[12] with all three players limited to training and unable to join another side in Spain, having already played four league games.

[14] He played his final game two days later against Atlético Madrid,[15] retiring shortly after at almost 39 years of age and having appeared in exactly 500 league matches – both major levels combined – during exactly two decades.

Cañizares was capped 46 times for Spain, the first on 17 November 1993: Zubizarreta was sent off in the tenth minute of a decisive 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Denmark, and he made his debut in heroic fashion, keeping a clean sheet in the 1–0 home win and ensuring qualification at the expense of the Danes themselves.

[19][20] Cañizares' club form ensured himself starter status in the 2002 World Cup, but he missed out on the tournament due to an accident with an aftershave bottle, which resulted in a severed tendon in his foot.

[32] In 2019, he was subjected to controversy after making disapproving comments on the circumstances of José Antonio Reyes' death; following immediate social media backlash, he issued a more compassionate statement of clarification.