Keylor Navas talks Vinicius, Zidane, Arbeloa, Courtois, Casillas, Real Madrid stint | OneFootball

Speaking in an interview with AS, former Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas fondly reflected on his time at the Santiago Bernabeu as well as discussing some of his ex-teammates and current Los Blancos’ stars.

Navas joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2014, after enjoying an excellent run at the FIFA World Cup with Costa Rica.

Navas takes a walk down memory lane

He arrived at a dressing room filled with superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos, and Marcelo, among many others.

“When I met all my teammates later, it was wonderful because they welcomed me with humility and made me feel very supported. It was a great group of people,” he said, recalling his first day at Real Madrid.

When Navas arrived, Iker Casillas still at Real Madrid, vying for the starting spot in goal. Talking about the competition for places at the time, the Costa Rican noted:

“I’d watched Iker since I was little and I admired and respected him immensely, but above all else was a dream I wanted to fulfill.

“For me, it was a privilege to be by his side, but my desire and effort were at their maximum to learn from him and Diego Lopez in order to improve and write my own story in football.”

Regarding current Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who was also in the team at the time he joined the club, Navas remarked:

“From the moment I arrived, he looked out for me, helping me and giving me advice, not only on a sporting level but also on a personal one. For someone new, that support is important, and I have fond memories of him taking on that role.

“Fate is funny; now he’s the first-team coach, and I wish him all the best because I’m very grateful to him.”

Keylor Navas enjoyed a successful spell at Real Madrid. (Photo by Rodrigo Oropeza/Getty Images)

Navas was part of the historic Real Madrid team under Zinedine Zidane which won three consecutive UEFA Champions League trophies between 2016 and 2018.

“I don’t know if something like this will ever happen again, but aside from the great sporting success, maintaining such a high-quality group so united for so many years will be very difficult to replicate,” he reflected.

“There are constant changes in organizations these days, and our strong unity was crucial to achieving those successes.”

Talking in detail about Zidane’s influence on his career, Navas added: “The way he manages groups and the confidence he instills in the players is very hard to find.

“I’ve had some very good coaches, but with Zidane, aside from the respect and admiration we all had for him, the way he spoke to us and treated us was incredible.

“We couldn’t give less than 200% in training to keep up with the way he operated. Furthermore, he was tactically astute, he studied opponents well and gave us the tools we needed to win.”

On Vinicius

Navas then touched upon Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. and his early days at Real Madrid, revealing how Zidane played an important role in the Brazilian’s development.

“We all noticed something different about him right away. He had things to polish, but he was a diamond in the rough with a great attitude and a strong work ethic. It doesn’t surprise me that he’s at this level now,” he said.

“I saw him develop and witnessed the hours Zidane invested in him after training. He gave him drills focused on technique, speed, finishing, and other aspects that helped him grow and reach his full potential. That extra work was fundamental.”

On the racism incident during Benfica vs Real Madrid, where Vinicius was targeted by an opposition player, Navas lamented:

“It’s very sad because something like this shouldn’t happen to anyone in the world. When it happens to someone you know, like Vini, you feel for them and understand the pain they might be going through.

“I hope that all of us who can do something will try to make sure that kind of contempt and those kinds of comments have no place, not with Vini, not with anyone.”

Navas expressed his support for Vinicius Jr. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

On whether Gianluca Prestianni should be banned from playing Champions League football, like Kylian Mbappe stated, Navas replied:

“I don’t know what the just punishment would be, but there has to be something. A strong punishment is necessary for people who intentionally make mistakes.

“That’s not a one-off error, but a thought that’s held inside, and when someone feels attacked, they bring it out. There should be a punishment to prevent this from happening again.”

On Courtois

Navas was still at Real Madrid when they signed Thibaut Courtois in 2018, with the Belgian now standing as one of the best goalkeepers in the game.

Talking about his arrival and how it led to his exit, the Costa Rican stated: “I’ve never been afraid of challenges, and I’ve always tried to fight and learn from every situation.

“He was signed to be a starter; that decision had already been made, and I knew I had to be ready to earn my place. That’s why I made the decision to leave Real Madrid so I could get playing time.”

On whether Courtois is the best goalkeeper in history, he added: “Going back to my childhood, Casillas and Buffon were the best. Neuer was also very good. Now the level has risen a lot and Courtois is one of the most complete players, that’s obvious.”