Keylor Navas went from a modest household in Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica, to becoming a three-time UEFA Champions League winner and the most-capped goalkeeper in his country’s history. Over a professional career spanning two decades, Navas has played for Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liga MX giants Pumas UNAM, while remaining one of Costa Rica’s most recognized and respected public figures.
Keylor Navas: Quick Facts
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Keilor Antonio Navas Gamboa |
| Date of Birth | December 15, 1986 |
| Age | 39 (as of 2026) |
| Place of Birth | San Isidro de El General, Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica |
| Nationality | Costa Rican |
| Profession | Professional Footballer (Goalkeeper) |
| Spouse | Andrea Salas (married December 25, 2009) |
| Children | Two sons, Mateo and Thiago; multiple sources also list a stepdaughter, Daniela, from Andrea Salas’s prior relationship |
| Years Active | 2005 – present |
| Education | Not publicly confirmed |
| Notable For | Three-time UEFA Champions League winner with Real Madrid; Costa Rica’s most-capped goalkeeper |
| Current Club | Pumas UNAM (Liga MX) |
Quick Answer
Keylor Navas is a Costa Rican professional goalkeeper best known for winning three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid (2016, 2017, 2018) and for his standout performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he helped Costa Rica reach the quarterfinals. He announced his retirement from international football in May 2024 after 114 caps, then reversed that decision in 2025 to rejoin Costa Rica for the Gold Cup. He currently plays for, and captains, Liga MX club Pumas UNAM.
| Name | Quick Fact | Why He Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Keylor Navas | 3x UEFA Champions League winner | First Costa Rican goalkeeper to reach the top tier of European football |
Early Life
Keylor Navas was born on December 15, 1986, in San Isidro de El General, in the Pérez Zeledón canton of Costa Rica, to parents Freddy Navas and Sandra Gamboa. He grew up in a modest household and has two sisters, Keilyn and Kimberly. Navas has repeatedly credited his family, particularly the support he received as a child from relatives and members of his community, for helping him pursue football despite limited resources. His upbringing in a devout Christian family is frequently cited in interviews as central to the outlook he has carried through his career.
Education
There is no publicly confirmed record detailing Keylor Navas’s formal academic education beyond his primary schooling in Pérez Zeledón. Like many footballers who entered professional academies as teenagers, his developmental years were centered on athletic training rather than documented academic milestones, and no verified information exists about a university or vocational qualification.
Career Beginnings
Navas began his youth career with Deportivo Saprissa, one of Costa Rica’s most successful clubs, joining their academy system as a teenager. He made his senior debut for Saprissa on November 6, 2005, in a league match against Asociación Deportiva Carmelita. Over five seasons with the club, Navas established himself as a reliable first-choice goalkeeper and won multiple domestic honors, including several editions of the Primera División de Costa Rica and a CONCACAF Champions’ Cup title in 2005.
In July 2010, Navas moved to Spain, signing with Albacete Balompié in the Segunda División. He impressed during his debut season, missing only a handful of matches out of a 42-game campaign. In 2011, he moved to Levante UD, initially on loan for the 2011–12 season before the transfer was made permanent, and it was there that his consistent performances began drawing attention from Spain’s top clubs.
Alongside his club progress, Navas was steadily building his international profile. He represented Costa Rica at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland and was first called into the senior national team for a European friendly tour in August 2006, though he did not earn his first full cap until 2008. That international experience, combined with his growing reputation in La Liga, positioned him for the move that would define the next phase of his career.
Career Milestones
Navas’s move to Real Madrid in 2014 marked the turning point of his career. Signed after his standout displays for Costa Rica at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil — where he helped an unfancied Costa Rica side beat Uruguay, Italy, and Greece en route to a quarterfinal exit to the Netherlands on penalties — Navas became Real Madrid’s first-choice goalkeeper for the next five seasons.
During his time at the Santiago Bernabéu (2014–2019), Navas won three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles (2016, 2017, and 2018), a La Liga title in 2016–17, and multiple other domestic and international honors. He was named CONCACAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year for three consecutive years between 2016 and 2018, and won the 2017–18 UEFA Club Football Award for the competition’s best goalkeeper.
In 2019, Navas transferred to Paris Saint-Germain, where he spent five seasons as a key figure in the club’s Ligue 1 dominance and its run to the 2020 UEFA Champions League final. During his PSG years, he also had a brief loan spell at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League during the 2022–23 season.
After leaving PSG in 2024, Navas signed with Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys before moving to Liga MX side Pumas UNAM in 2025, where he quickly established himself as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper and captain. In March 2026, at age 39, he agreed to extend his contract with Pumas for a further season, with the club citing his experience and leadership as central to its title ambitions.
Achievements
Across his club and international career, Navas has accumulated one of the most decorated resumes of any Costa Rican athlete:
- Three-time UEFA Champions League winner (Real Madrid: 2016, 2017, 2018)
- La Liga champion (2016–17)
- CONCACAF Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year (2016, 2017, 2018)
- UEFA Club Football Award for Best Goalkeeper (2017–18)
- Costa Rica’s most-capped goalkeeper, with 114 international appearances
- Played in three FIFA World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022)
- Led Costa Rica to the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals, the country’s best-ever finish
It is worth noting that Navas’s Champions League and La Liga titles were team honors shared with the full Real Madrid squad; while he was a first-choice starter throughout those campaigns, the trophies themselves belong to the club and squad collectively rather than to him individually.
Personal Life
Navas married Andrea Salas, a Costa Rican model and former Miss Hawaiian Tropic titleholder, in a civil ceremony on December 25, 2009, followed by a religious ceremony in San José in 2015. The couple has two sons together, Mateo and Thiago; several sources also describe a stepdaughter, Daniela, from Salas’s previous relationship, who is regularly pictured with the family and has appeared alongside Navas at public events. Navas has spoken openly in interviews about his Christian faith, which he describes as central to how he approaches both his career and family life, often referencing his faith when discussing setbacks such as being dropped from a starting lineup or Costa Rica’s national team disappointments. The family has relocated multiple times throughout his career — from Costa Rica to Spain in 2010, and later to France in 2019 — before returning to Latin America for the Argentine and Mexican stages of his career from 2024 onward.
Philanthropy
In December 2019, Navas and his wife co-founded Fundación Tiempos de Esperanza (“Foundation of Times of Hope”) alongside co-founder Mónica Espinoza, an organization focused on supporting children in Costa Rica who face social vulnerability or health challenges. The foundation has since run multiple donation campaigns, including a $25,000 contribution to Costa Rica’s Teletón fundraiser benefiting the Hospital Nacional de Niños (National Children’s Hospital) and a 2025 “Solidatón” campaign that aimed to distribute 50,000 school supply kits to children in vulnerable communities across the country.
During his time in Europe, Navas also engaged in club-level charitable work, including a 2016 visit to a Real Madrid Foundation educational clinic in San José that served hundreds of children. In March 2022, while at PSG, Navas and his wife opened their home in France to roughly 30 Ukrainian refugees who had fled the Russian invasion, a gesture that was reported by AFP and multiple international outlets at the time.
Controversies
There is no substantiated record of major personal or professional controversies involving Keylor Navas. His public career has been defined primarily by his sporting achievements, faith-based public statements, and charitable work rather than off-field disputes. Where his career has drawn debate, it has generally centered on football-specific competition for starting positions at his clubs — such as rotation with other goalkeepers at PSG — rather than any personal scandal.
Influence and Legacy Snapshot
| Category | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Trailblazer | First Costa Rican goalkeeper to establish himself as a starter in Spain’s La Liga |
| European Success | Three UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid (2016–2018) |
| National Icon | Costa Rica’s all-time most-capped goalkeeper, with 114 appearances |
| World Cup Legacy | Central figure in Costa Rica’s historic 2014 World Cup quarterfinal run |
| Philanthropy | Co-founder of Fundación Tiempos de Esperanza, supporting vulnerable children in Costa Rica |
Legacy
Navas is widely regarded as the benchmark for Costa Rican footballers who followed him to Europe, having opened a pathway that few Central American goalkeepers had walked before him. His performances during Real Madrid’s mid-2010s Champions League dynasty placed him among the sport’s most consistent big-game goalkeepers, and his 114-cap international career, capped by the 2014 World Cup run, remains a defining chapter in Costa Rican football history. Off the field, his foundation work has extended his public profile beyond sport into ongoing social contribution in his home country.
Within Costa Rica specifically, Navas is frequently cited alongside figures such as Paulo Wanchope as one of the country’s two most influential footballing exports, but his sustained success at a club of Real Madrid’s stature — combined with his continued high-level performance into his late thirties at Pumas UNAM — has given him a level of international name recognition that few Costa Rican athletes in any sport have matched.
Related: Famous Celebrities in Costa Rica: The Complete List
Conclusion
Keylor Navas’s career reflects a rare combination of sustained elite performance and consistent public character. From a modest upbringing in Pérez Zeledón to lifting the Champions League trophy three times with Real Madrid, Navas’s trajectory has made him one of Costa Rica’s most significant sporting exports. As he continues his career with Pumas UNAM, his influence on Costa Rican football — and his charitable footprint at home — continues to grow.
Next In Your Heading: Sean Diddy Combs: The Rise, the Empire, and the Fall
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keylor Navas still playing football?
Yes. As of 2026, Navas plays for and captains Liga MX club Pumas UNAM, having extended his contract with the club in March 2026.
How many Champions League titles has Keylor Navas won?
Three, all with Real Madrid, in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Is Keylor Navas retired from international football?
He announced his retirement in May 2024 after Costa Rica’s Copa América squad was set, but returned to the national team in 2025 for the Gold Cup. His international career currently stands at 114+ appearances across three World Cups.
Who is Keylor Navas’s wife?
He is married to Andrea Salas, a Costa Rican model and former Miss Hawaiian Tropic titleholder, whom he wed in 2009.
What foundation did Keylor Navas start?
He co-founded Fundación Tiempos de Esperanza in 2019 with his wife and co-founder Mónica Espinoza, an organization supporting at-risk and health-vulnerable children in Costa Rica.
