Following the announcement by the Costa Rican FA has announced that goalkeeper Keylor Navas has been ruled out Copa America Centenario due to chronic tendinitis affecting his left foot, we take a look at what his country will be missing as they head to the USA for this historic tournament.
The Costa Rican made a crucial penalty save in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid last Saturday, hence helping Los Blancos secure their 11th UCL title. For sure, the Central American country will miss such saves from their number one goalkeeper.
Keylor Navas has saved 3 of the 4 penalties he's faced in competitive games for Real Madrid this season.
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) May 28, 2016
Top record pic.twitter.com/7SdpCXbnXA
Navas lifts the Champions League trophy with Real Madrid
About Keylor Navas
Keylor Antonio Navas Gamboa is a Costa Rican goalkeeper who plays for Real Madrid and the Costa Rican national football team. He was born on December 15, 1986 in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica. He is 6ft 1in tall.
Notable achievements
Navas has been instrumental to Costa Rica’s recent success in different tournaments. He participated in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland, then made his debut for the senior team in 2006 against Suriname in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier. He then kept his first international clean sheet during the 2-0 win over Haiti four days later, before losing to Uruguay in the intercontinental play-offs.
Since them he has featured for his side in two CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments and named the best goalkeeper in the 2009 edition of the competition as his country reached the semis. He then helped them reach the quarters of the same competition two years later.
The 29-year-old also featured in the 2014 World Cup and steered his side to a 3-1 win over Uruguay. He only conceded thrice in the group stage as Costa Rica proceeded to the knockout stage by virtue of being group leaders. He was named Man of the Match against Greece when he saved a penalty and steered his country to their first-ever quarterfinal appearance in their history.
The ex-Albacete goalie poses with the Man of the Match award during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Navas saves a penalty against Greece in the 2014 FIFA World Cup
Career highlights
Navas’ star started shining even brighter when he joined Real Madrid in 2014. He helped the Spanish giants win the UEFA Super Cup in 2014, the FIFA Club World Cup in 2014 and most recently the UEFA Champions League in the 2015/16 season. Individually, he won the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament award in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, La Liga Player of the Month in March 2014, and LFP Awards Best Goalkeeper in 2013/14.
Did you know?
- Navas started his career with Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa where he won six league titles
- His penalty save against Greece in the 2014 World Cup took Costa Rica to their first ever World Cup quarter-final
- He has made 64 appearances for Costa Rica since 2008.
- He is agile and has quick reflexes between the posts
- Navas is a staunch Christian; he once said this about his faith: "God for me comes first. Before every game I kneel, I open my arms and pray ... My favourite passage of the Bible is Galatians 1:10 which says: "If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
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