CONCACAF Nations League

Navas, Davies Highlight Successes For Concacaf Players Abroad

Navas, Davies Highlight Successes For Concacaf Players Abroad

A look at how some of the region's finest players are faring so far in their seasons playing abroad for their clubs.

Nov 1, 2019 by Steven Streff
Navas, Davies Highlight Successes For Concacaf Players Abroad

Mexican and USA players get most of the ink for their performances abroad, but there are plenty of players from all countries in Concacaf plying their trade outside of the region. Costa Rica keeper Keylor Navas and Canadian winger Alphonso Davies are two of the biggest names from Concacaf playing in Europe right now, both contributing to some of the biggest clubs in the world.

Here's a quick catch-up with some of the goings-on for several Concacaf players, as the 2019-20 season progresses around the world. 

Keylor Navas | Paris Saint-Germain

The Costa Rican keeper's move from Real Madrid to PSG happened rapidly on deadline day, but the three-time UEFA Champions League winner has had no issues fitting in immediately in France. Navas has appeared in 10 games since his move, keeping five clean sheets and allowing three goals in seven Ligue 1 matches. 

In the Champions League, Navas has yet to concede a goal in three games, including a 3-0 triumph over Madrid. PSG sit top of Ligue 1 and their group in their Champions League, and it appears that Navas is going to play a big part in both this year.

Bryan Ruiz | Santos

Costa Rica's captain was not included in Rónald González's squad for the October Nations League games, which both ended in draws for Los Ticos. González said it was because Ruiz has not been playing for Santos in Brazil, and that situation has not changed one bit in recent weeks. After appearing in 12 Série A games for Santos in 2018, Ruiz has not been part of any matchday squad in 2019. That needs to change quickly for the 34-year-old, who faces the real possibility of not being called in once again in November for Costa Rica. 

Alphonso Davies | Bayern Munich

Davies turns 19 on Saturday but has already begun to make moves within the Bayern setup. The youngster has appeared three times for the Bayern reserves in 3. Liga, but has most recently been playing with the first team under Niko Kovač. Davies has yet to come off the bench in the Champions League but has played a full 90 minutes in both of Bayern's most recent games. That included this week's come-from-behind win over VfL Bochum in the DFB-Pokal, after playing a full 90 minutes last weekend against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga. 

Having played Davies as a winger at the beginning of the season, Niko Kovač has been using the Canadian as a left back, where Bayern have fewer options. Should Davies continue to put in strong performances, he could see his playing time increase even more as the season progresses. 

Junior Hoilett | Cardiff City

Davies' Canadian teammate Junior Hoilett is off to a fine start as well in the 2019-20 season, as Cardiff City try to deal with the disappointment of last season's relegation from the Premier League. Hoilett, who is joint top scorer in the Nations League A this year with three goals, has two goals in 11 league appearances for Cardiff City, who currently sit in 14th place in the Championship. Hoilett was not in the squad last week against Swansea City but has otherwise started in four league games, coming in as a substitute seven times, as Cardiff have won four of their first 14 games. 

Leon Bailey | Bayer Leverkusen

Trying to recapture some of the magic that was missing from his 2018-19 campaign, Leon Bailey enjoyed a strong start to the Bundesliga season with Leverkusen. He scored against SC Paderborn in the first game of the season, during a stretch of three starts in the first four games of the season. However, Bailey, who just this year committed to play for Jamaica, has been injured since the midway point in September. 

He should return to action soon, but will have to work his way back into the squad, as Bayer are in the thick of the Bundesliga race, in eighth place, but just four points behind leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Nahki Wells | Queens Park Rangers

If Bermuda somehow manage to finish ahead of Panama in the Group B of Nations Leauge A this year, it will be in large part to Nahki Wells' goals. He scored both goals in a shocking 2-0 win for Bermuda in Panama, after Panama won in the Caribbean 4-1. Wells then scored in the 5-1 defeat to Mexico in October, to end the month with three goals in League A, the joint top scorer with three other players. 

For QPR, Wells is in fine form too, scoring seven goals and adding two assists thus far in the league. Wells has started nine times in 12 appearances, helping QPR to seventh place in the Championship after 14 rounds.

Levi García | Beitar Jerusalem

During the summer, Trinidad & Tobago winger Levi García made a move from within the Israeli Premier League from Kiryat Shmona to Beitar Jerusalem. That move has worked out thus far for the 21-year-old, as he has started in all eight league games for Beitar this season. 

Those appearances have resulted in an output of one goal and two assists, in his second season playing in Israel after moving on from AZ Alkmaar. T&T might be in a state of disarray at the moment with their performances in the Nations League, but García is certainly showing signs of being able to help move T&T forward with a younger generation of players.