Iker was at La Sexta giving an interview, and they asked him why he is now sporting The Beard.  His response?

Pues por nada en especial. Me la comencé a dejar y bueno, aquí está. Hay gente a la que no le gusta y otra a la que sí, ya sabes. A mi madre le gusta y por eso la sigo llevando.

Translation:  I grew it for no special reason.  I let it grow, and here it is.  Some people like it, while others don’t.  My mother likes it and for that I have kept it.

He also said somewhere else that he resembles his father more with the beard, another reason his mother likes it.

Well, you can’t go against mothers, so I’m okay with the beard now*, as long as Iker keeps it groomed.

* I still reserve the right to complain about it though.