Raúl Navas (footballer, born 1988)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Rodríguez and the second or maternal family name is Navas.

Raúl Rodríguez Navas (born 11 May 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Recreativo de Huelva.

Raúl Navas

Navas in action for Real Sociedad in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Raúl Rodríguez Navas
Date of birth	(1988-05-11) 11 May 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Seville, Spain
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Recreativo
Number	17
Youth career
	Sevilla
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2009	Sevilla C	46	(1)
2009	Sevilla B	2	(0)
2009–2010	Valladolid B	35	(4)
2010–2011	Valladolid	4	(0)
2011–2012	Celta B	23	(2)
2011	Celta	0	(0)
2012–2014	Eibar	73	(5)
2014–2020	Real Sociedad	68	(1)
2014–2015	→ Eibar (loan)	29	(2)
2019–2020	→ Osasuna (loan)	9	(0)
2020–2021	Osasuna	2	(0)
2021	Cartagena	16	(0)
2021–2022	Las Palmas	35	(1)
2022–2023	Mirandés	27	(1)
2023–	Recreativo	48	(2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10 June 2025

Club career

Born in Seville, Andalusia, Navas played youth football with local Sevilla FC, making his senior debut in 2007–08 season with the C team in the Tercera División. On 30 May 2009 he played his first professional match, appearing with the reserves in a 0–4 Segunda División home loss against CD Tenerife and also being sent off.^[1]

Navas signed with Real Valladolid in July 2009, initially being assigned to the B side.^[2] On 16 May 2010, the day the Castile and León club certified its relegation, he made his La Liga debut, starting the 4–0 away defeat to champions FC Barcelona.^[3] In his second year, he appeared in a further five official games with the first team, being released in August 2011.^[4]

In the following years, Navas competed in the Segunda División B, with Celta de Vigo B and SD Eibar.^[5] He achieved two consecutive promotions with the latter, in 2013 and in 2014.^[6]

On 12 July 2014, Navas signed a one-year deal with Real Sociedad, being immediately loaned back to Eibar.^[7] He was also utilised in the latter's top-flight debut on 24 August, starting in a 1–0 home victory over his parent club.^[8]

Navas scored his first goal in the Spanish top tier on 8 December, the third in a 5–2 home rout of UD Almería.^[9] On 3 June 2015, the Txuri-urdin activated a clause in his contract and extended his link until 2018.^[10] He missed the entire season, due to a pubalgia ailment.^[11][12]

On 14 August 2019, Navas joined CA Osasuna on a season-long move, with an obligatory buyout clause at the end of the loan.^[13] He terminated his contract with the club on 26 January 2021,^[14] and immediately moved to second division side FC Cartagena on a 18-month deal just hours later.^[15]

On 19 July 2021, Navas signed a 1+1 deal with UD Las Palmas also in the second tier, after exercising the rescision clause on his previous contract.^[16] He terminated his link on 1 September 2022,^[17] and agreed to a one-year contract at CD Mirandés just hours later.^[18]