Pumas' Keylor Navas reveals the position he dreamed of playing before becoming a legendary goalkeeper
After joining Pumas UNAM to be closer to his family and move on from a tough stint in Argentina, Keylor Navas opened up about his early football dreams — revealing he once wanted to lead the attack instead of guard the net. The 38-year-old Costa Rican legend, who starred for Real Madrid and PSG, has quickly become one of Pumas’ key figures in Liga MX.
- AFP
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Toggle"Throughout the entire week I was a striker"
During a recent appearance on the YouTube channel hosted by fellow Costa Rican and football icon Hugo Sánchez, Navas surprised fans by revealing a lesser-known story from his early years in the sport.
The conversation took a humorous turn when Sánchez asked him what his career might have looked like had he played in a different position-specifically as an attacker. That’s when Navas admitted that scoring goals once felt just as natural as stopping them.
“When I was a kid, I always played as a goalkeeper," Navas said. "We played the match on Saturdays at the football school, but throughout the entire week I was a striker."
He explained that between the ages of eight and 14, he would split matches between goal and attack.
“And when I played as a striker, I took advantage of certain situations. I always thought, ‘When you're standing there and the forward is so close, if he doesn’t shoot, that’s a great chance, because if he does shoot, it would be very hard to stop it.’”
- Getty Images Sport
Destiny led him down a different path
That striker’s mindset stayed with him even as he evolved into one of the world’s top goalkeepers.
“That was my mentality as a forward — a killer,” he said. But in the end, a bit of divine guidance-led him as he leaned on his faith to go in a different path.
“I would never have had the kind of career you had,” Navas said to Sanchez.
- AFP
Immediate impact since arriving in Mexico
Now under the guidance of Efraín Juárez, Navas has taken on a leadership role as Pumas chase a Play-In spot. The team sits 10th in Liga MX with four matchdays remaining.
- Getty Images Sport
What comes next?
Pumas will face Atlético de San Luis this Wednesday determined to secure three crucial points and continue climbing the table. A loss could jeopardize their position in the Play-In race with only four Matchdays remaining in the tournament.
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