Keylor Navas

Keilor Antonio Navas Gamboa (born 15 December 1986), known as Keylor Navas, is a Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Costa Rica national team. He was named CONCACAF Men's Goalkeeper of the Year for three consecutive years between 2016 and 2018. He was also named the best male CONCACAF Player of the Decade 2011–2020 by the IFFHS. His performances in the 2017–18 season earned him the 2017–18 UEFA Club Football Award for best UEFA goalkeeper, and also saw him named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season of 2018.

Navas started his youth career at Saprissa in his home country, where he won six Liga FPD titles and the CONCACAF Champions League, he subsequently moved to Spanish club Albacete in 2010, and then to Levante in La Liga the following year, where he won the LFP Award for Best Goalkeeper in his final season with the latter club. Navas later joined Real Madrid in 2014 for €10 million. He won a total of twelve titles with Real Madrid, including one La Liga title and three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles as the first choice goalkeeper. In 2019, he was signed by French club Paris Saint-Germain.

Navas has made over 100 appearances for Costa Rica since making his debut in 2008. He has represented the country at two CONCACAF Gold Cups and the 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions of the FIFA World Cup. He was a member of the Costa Rica national team that reached the semi-finals of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, in which he was named best goalkeeper. His impressive performances also helped the team reach the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup.

Club career

Saprissa

Born in San Isidro de El General, Navas made his professional debut with Deportivo Saprissa on 6 November 2005, in a Primera league match against Asociación Deportiva Carmelita. He was the first-choice keeper in his two final seasons with the club, winning six national championships and the 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Navas was also part of the Saprissa team that finished in 3rd place at the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship.

Albacete

In July 2010, Navas signed with Albacete Balompié of the Segunda División in Spain exactly 20 years after countryman Luis Conejo, who occupied the same position. He played in 36 games out of 42 during his first season, but his team suffered relegation after finishing in last position.

Levante

In the 2011–12 campaign, Navas reached La Liga, being loaned to Levante UD for a year. He made his debut in the competition on 13 May 2012 in the last round, playing in a 3–0 home win against Athletic Bilbao that confirmed the club's first ever qualification for the UEFA Europa League, and joined the Valencian club on a three-year contract in July of that year. Despite initially being back-up to Gustavo Munúa, Navas was the first-choice goalkeeper for Levante in the 2013–14 season, and was nominated as the league's best goalkeeper alongside Thibaut Courtois of Atlético Madrid and Willy Caballero of Málaga CF, going on to win the prize. In March 2014, he was La Liga Player of the Month, the first goalkeeper to win the accolade. He finished the season as the goalkeeper with the most saves (267) in La Liga, finishing fourth in the Zamora Trophy conceding 39 goals in 36 games despite playing for a 'lower ranked' team.

Real Madrid

2014–15

On 3 August 2014, Real Madrid triggered Navas' €10 million buyout clause, and he signed a six-year contract with the club. His first competitive call-up was on 12 August, sitting on the bench as Iker Casillas played in the 2014 UEFA Super Cup, which Real Madrid won 2–0 against Sevilla at the Cardiff City Stadium. Navas was given his debut for the club on 23 September, in a 5–1 victory over Elche

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