Keylor Navas

Saprissa

Born in San Isidro de El General, Pérez Zeledón, 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 precisely 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…

Youth career and early senior career

Navas was part of the Costa Rica national team that played in the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship held in Finland. He was called up for the senior national team for the first time in August 2006 to play a friendly tournament in Europe against Austria and Switzerland. He was a team member who won a bronze medal at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games. Navas gained his debut senior cap on 11 October 2008, in a 4–1 away victory over Suriname in the third round of stuff for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which qualified the team into the next stage. Four days later at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, he kept his first international clean sheet in a 2–0 victory over Haiti. The team eventually reached the intercontinental play-offs for the tournament, losing narrowly to Uruguay. Navas was also a member of the Costa Rica squad that finished runners-up in the 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup. Navas appeared with Los Ticos in two CONCACAF Gold Cup competitions, being named the best goalkeeper in the 2009 edition as he helped his country reach the semi-finals. He returned to allow them to the quarter-finals two years later, in what is to date his last appearance at a Gold Cup, as he would miss the tournament for the following ten years, a period that encompasses five editions. He also missed the Copa América Centenario similarly.

2014 World Cup

Navas made his debut in the FIFA World Cup on 14 June 2014, appearing in a 3–1 group stage win…

Often rated by several pundits as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and considered by some in the sport as the best in the history of CONCACAF, Navas is an energetic keeper, who is primarily known for his agility, speed, and athleticism in goal, as well as his quick reflexes and excellent shot-stopping ability, which enables him to compensate for his relative lack of height. He has also drawn praise in the media for his decisive performances in essential matches, and his penchant for producing difficult and crucial saves for his team in critical moments. In 2017, former goalkeeper Manuel Almunia praised Navas, describing him as "the prototype model" goalkeeper, also adding: "He's spectacular between the posts, he's brave, skillful and very agile. He maintains his concentration, and he's also intelligent... For me, he deserves all the respect he gets for what he's done." In 2020, Navas cited compatriot Léster Morgan as his goalkeeping idol.

Keylor Navas was raised in a low-income family in San Isidro de El General, a town in the southeast of San José province. He is a devout Christian. He spoke about his faith, saying, "God for me comes first. Before every game, I kneel, open my arms, and pray ... My favorite 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." On 3 December 2014, Navas announced that he had obtained Spanish citizenship. Navas has been married to Andrea Salas since 2009, and the couple have three children together: Daniela, Mateo, and Thiago. Navas is the stepfather of Daniela, whom Andrea had in a previous relationship. A documentary film, Hombre de Fe (Man of Faith), based on the life of Navas, was released on 28 December 2017. His paternal half-brother, Eder Navas, is also a footballer who plays for Saprissa. In 2022, Navas obtained his academic degree as a master in sport management from Johan Cruyff Institute. In June 2024, a report from BFM TV detailed that a former employee filed a complaint against Navas for concealed work.