Rafael Navarro leads team with 11 goals, but Rapids President insists “we felt early on we would want to keep him”
Colorado Rapids’ forward Rafael Navarro acknowledges the crowd as he is substituted out of the game against Austin FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on Saturday, June 15, 2024. The way the Colorado Rapids celebrated last Saturday after Rafael Navarro scored his 11th goal of the season said it all.
“That spoke volumes to how he’s liked in the locker room,” Rapids president Pádraig Smith told The Denver Post. Like much of the team last season, Navarro got into dangerous spots but only had one goal to show for it through 10 games. But what the organization saw was a goal-dangerous forward who was willing and able to defend, no matter the lows the team saw in its results.
“Back in Brazil, Abel Ferreira also practiced this style of play, so it helped when I came here and played this style,” Navarro said. “If I’m not scoring goals, I can help the team in other ways, whether it’s defending or anything else, I have to help the team. That’s the way it has to be.” “We felt very early on that Rafa was a player we wanted to keep on the team,” Smith said. “We knew he was a good fit culturally, we had seen that last year. That was further confirmed right from the beginning of preseason this year.
In the team’s future, Navarro has MLS Cup aspirations in mind. But now that he’s a permanent Rapid, his first test on the job will be a tough road match against LAFC this Saturday at 8:30 p.m.Nuggets draft DaRon Holmes II: How the national media graded the pickRenck: Everyone knew Nuggets were taking center DaRon Holmes. This boring pick will only make sense if he contributes right away.
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