The young player, now officially part of the first‑team, is an example for all the club’s academy players
With patience, hard work and determination, Pau Navarro has earned his place in the Villarreal CF first team. The young defender, from La Vilavella, has left behind the No.‘26’ to take on the No.‘6’. For the player himself, it is not something he gives too much importance to, even though it represents a huge step forward in his professional career.
“The number changes, but the shirt is the same. Nothing changes. The important thing is to help the team. The only thing is that, of course, it’s something exciting because it’s something I’ve been chasing since I was a kid. It’s really nice, but in terms of work, nothing changes,” the young academy graduate explains with maturity.
The path to the elite
His journey to the top level of football has been shaped by hard work and patience: “You have to go step by step. Stage by stage, without rushing. I think it’s important to follow that process. I have done things the way they had to be done, and the reward comes like this.”
As the matches go by, Pau Navarro is establishing himself in a Villarreal side in the Champions League, which is an impressive achievement for a player who is barely 20 years old. “I’m really happy because I’m getting consistency and the opportunity to build up minutes and compete at a high level.”
A role model for the Yellows Academy
In just two or three years, the defender from La Vilavella has gone from playing on the artificial turf pitches at the Training Ground to wearing the Yellow shirt at the Estadio de la Cerámica. It is a big leap, one that Pau is still getting used to: “It’s a bit overwhelming to realise you’re competing against the best players in the world. Especially when you stop to think about it. Once you’re on the pitch, there’s no difference. You have to do your job as well as possible, whether you’re playing against the giants of LALIGA or on Pitch 5 at the Training Ground.”
Because of what he is achieving, Pau Navarro has become the leading role model for all the young players in the Yellows Academy who dream of reaching the first team: “This is a club that truly believes in its academy. It’s something very positive. They’ve always shown me that they trusted me, and they’ve proved it. It’s important to follow, patiently, the steps that are mapped out for you so that you can reach where I am now. I’m really grateful for the trust and very happy.”
Focused on what’s next
Regarding the team, Pau Navarro acknowledges the squad’s quality and insists that recent results do not overshadow the strong season the Submarine is enjoying: “The point in Pamplona was very good to break the run. It’s true that the last month and a half hasn’t been what we wanted, but we’ve played against some of the best sides in LALIGA. These things come in spells. Now we’re focused on doing as well as possible in the rest of the season.”
Lastly, the defender praised Espanyol, the Yellows’ next opponents: “It will be a very tough match. They’re not on a good run, but they’re up there on merit. They’re having an exceptional season. We know they’re a great team, but that doesn’t change the fact that we have to play our game and go for the win.”
You can watch Pau Navarro’s press conference below:
