July 17 – Keylor Navas, whose sensational performances in goal for World Cup quarter-finalists Costa Rica earned him worldwide plaudits, has had a stadium named after him back home.
Navas would almost certainly have been named goalie of the tournament but for Germany’s Manuel Neuer and from now on, the Perez Zeledon stadium in San Isidro will be known as the ‘Estadio Municipal Keylor Navas Gamboa’ after agreement by the city’s councillors.
Six out of eight board members approved the change and one of them, Geinier Alvarado, was quoted as saying: “The decision to name the stadium after Keylor Navas is not only to honour his performance in the sport and his outstanding participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He’s an example, not only for the youth but he also represents most of the town.”
San Isidro, where Navas was born, leaving at the age of 14 to pursue his football career, is a 45,000-strong city 130km south-east of the capital San Jose. The City Council also agreed that the goalkeeper will be declared as “favorite son” of the town and will be given the keys to the city.
Widespread reports in Spain say Real Madrid have beaten Bayern Munich to Navas’ signature for around $10 million from Levante.
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