
Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas joins Pumas in Mexico after some advice from Ramos and Herrera
The Costa Rica goalkeeper called his ex-Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos, as well as Costa Rica coach Miguel Herrera, before he
eventually agreed
to join Pumas in the top-tier Liga MX on a reported one-year contract. The move follows a six-month stint in Argentina with Newell's Old Boys.
The 38-year-old Navas was introduced on Thursday as the Mexican side revamps its roster to try to end a 14-year spell without winning a league title.
'I'm here eager to give my all, to push myself, and to be on the pitch playing at my best,' Navas said. 'I have the mentality to make history, to be able to win a title. I believe we can achieve those goals by working with humility.'
No details were given but Newell's Old Boys said it will receive $2 million as part of the deal.
Ramos on Mexico
Navas and Ramos played together for five seasons with Madrid, winning three Champions League titles. The pair also joined forces at Paris Saint-Germain where they were part of the team that won the Ligue 1 title in 2022.
The 39-year-old Ramos
signed with Mexican team Monterrey
earlier this year.
'Sergio told me a little about his experience in Mexico. I know James (Rodriguez) is also here and playing at a high level,' Navas said at a press conference. 'Liga MX is growing and is very competitive, with a very good infrastructure, and I thought I'd come to a club where we can compete for titles.'
James Rodriguez, who played with Navas and Ramos for four seasons with Madrid,
also plays in Mexico with Leon
.
Pumas had already bought
Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey,
Colombian left back Alvaro Angulo and Ecuador midfielder Pedro Vite.
Help from Herrera
Navas also called Herrera, who had coached six first division teams in Mexico before he was
hired as coach of the Costa Rica men's national team
as it attempts to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
'I spoke with Miguel because he knows the league and the club well, and he told me I should sign without a doubt,' Navas said. 'I'm joining a big club, and having him in the national team helps you make these decisions.'
Navas also made the decision to move closer to Central America because his national team has World Cup qualifying games, starting in September, with 'Los Ticos' in Group C with Honduras, Haiti and Nicaragua.
___
AP soccer:
https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Associated Press
a few seconds ago
- Associated Press
Angels star Mike Trout joins the 1,000-RBI club with a 'big-time blast'
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — One swing of the bat was more than enough for Mike Trout to deliver a reminder about his impact on baseball. The Angels star hit a massive homer to center field on Sunday to move past 1,000 RBIs in his career, a two-run shot that helped Los Angeles beat the Seattle Mariners 4-1. 'It takes your teammates to get on base, and after the game, that was one of the things I pointed out,' Trout said of a clubhouse toast that included whiskey and words of appreciation. 'None of this is possible without my teammates. It's been fun.' Now with 1,001 RBIs, another Trout milestone is around the corner as the three-time American League MVP reached 397 home runs with his fifth-inning drive that traveled an estimated 443 feet. 'He couldn't have drawn it up any better, putting a big-time blast like that to center field,' said Jo Adell, Trout's successor in center. 'I'm honored to be able to start my career here and play with him and just see the evolution of him.' Trout has struggled to stay on the field in recent years, with a bone bruise in his left knee forcing him to miss a month this year. He has played designated hitter since his return after starting the season in right field. He was batting just .200 with one home run in nine games since the All-Star break, but he showed Sunday he can still deliver after 1,598 games over 15 seasons. 'Every time we talk about Mike, even 75 percent of Mike is better than most people who have ever played the game,' Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery said. 'He's going to through ups and downs just like everybody else and his are more magnified because of who he is.' It was a day of exploits for the Angels' veterans as Kyle Hendricks picked up win No. 103 by allowing two hits over six-plus innings and Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 465th save. Trout has 19 homers, his most since hitting 40 in 2022. He also joined Garrett Anderson and Tim Salmon as the only players to record their first 1,000 RBIs exclusively with the Angels. 'When guys are here that long and what they mean to the club, it's pretty special to be in that group,' Trout said of Anderson and Salmon, who now work with the Angels' broadcast team. 'They had unbelievable careers in an Angels uniform and when you're in the same conversation with them, it's pretty special.' ___ AP MLB:

Associated Press
a few seconds ago
- Associated Press
Ichiro Suzuki adds humorous touches to Hall of Fame induction ceremonies
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy. Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown. Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki's acceptance speech. The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers' ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn't vote for him. 'Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,' Suzuki said to roaring laughter. 'By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,' he added, with emphasis on 'expired' for good measure. A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted. An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki's No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted 'Ichiro' several times throughout the day. A sign that read 'Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend' in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day. With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career. 'Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,' Suzuki joked. He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm 'already in shape' just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, '`Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!'' He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty. 'People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits. 'Not bad, huh?' Suzuki said to more laughs. He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for 'getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine.' But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary. 'Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,' he said. 'When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10. 'Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons.' Now he's reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: '`Don't embarrass the nation.'' He's made his homeland proud. 'Going into America's Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn't even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream.' Sabathia thanked 'the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).' He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today's game. 'It's an extra honor to be a part of Dave's Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the '80s and early '90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform. 'Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we're starting to turn that around. I don't want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don't want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.' Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as 'roadblocks, but steppingstones.' 'I wasn't the biggest player. I wasn't supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in,' he said. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami. He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose's major league record of 4,256. Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta. Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Which Players Could Leave PSG This Summer?
It has been a busy summer for Paris Saint-Germain, which has won its first-ever UEFA Champions League title, claimed a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 championship, and added another Trophée des Champions and Coupe de France title to its growing trophy cabinet. Les Parisiens only just finished their lengthy 2024-25 season in the United States, where they made it all the way to the FIFA Club World Cup Final only to lose to Chelsea. And yet, they have just a couple of weeks to rest and relax before returning to action and facing Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13. Read the full article by subscribing to Ensemble PSG on Substack When it comes to transfers, however, the summer has been relatively quiet for PSG. Apart from 19-year-old goalkeeper Renato Marin, who has joined on a free transfer from Roma, PSG have failed to complete a single signing. In terms of outgoings, they've loaned out teenage talents Gabriel Moscardo, Yoram Zague, and Naoufel El Hannach to Braga, Copenhagen, and Montpellier, respectively. Whilst certain new arrivals are needed, like a center back, it's also undeniable that most of PSG's business will involve the exit door. Today, we're taking a look at which players PSG need to dispose of this summer. 💶 Randal Kolo Muani: Sale It was just two years ago that PSG signed Randal Kolo Muani to a five-year contract, paying €75 million plus €15 million in bonuses for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker. It may as well have been two decades ago: Kolo Muani never came close to fitting into Luis Enrique's possession-heavy setup, unable to fill Kylian Mbappé's void and live up to his price tag, before eventually joining Juventus on loan in January. The French striker impressed in Italy, scoring 10 goals in 22 appearances, and it seems likely that PSG will try to capitalize on his value while it is relatively high. Manchester United are keeping tabs on him, Juventus is keen on a return, while Newcastle is eyeing him as a potential replacement for the wantaway Alexander Isak. At 26, Kolo Muani is still in his prime, and he should be able to fetch a decent fee. 💶 Marco Asensio: Sale Another player who revitalized his fortunes after departing PSG midway through the 2024-25 season was Marco Asensio. Once considered one of the brightest talents in world football, the three-time Champions League winner departed Real Madrid on a free transfer and joined PSG in 2023, where he was utilized in a variety of positions across midfield and attack. However, he decided to make the move to Aston Villa on loan in February, where he helped inject fresh new blood into their team and guided them to the Champions League quarterfinals. After emerging as an impressive substitute for Villa, Asensio has garnered interest from several clubs, including Milan and Inter. However, Fenerbahce are reportedly the frontrunners to sign the Spaniard, who has one year left on his contract. 💶 Milan Škriniar: Sale After completing deals for Archie Brown, Sofyan Amrabat, Tarik Cetin, and Jhon Duran, Fenerbahçe could be set for a double-swoop with Milan Škriniar and Asensio. Having established himself as one of the top center-backs in Serie A with Inter Milan, Škriniar struggled to adapt from a back three to a back four, with his clunky approach in possession failing to convince Enrique following his arrival in 2023. The Slovakian defender left for Fenerbahçe in January, where he scored three goals and provided two assists in 23 appearances and emerged as a key figure under José Mourinho. At 30 years of age, Škriniar isn't going to be turning around his style anytime soon, but he's nevertheless a useful figure when used in the right system. With a contract until 2028, PSG will hope to sell him, but they could also settle for a loan with an option to buy if no other offer is made. Continue reading by subscribing to Ensemble PSG on Substack