David Raya is living the kind of year that most footballers only sketch out on a napkin as teenagers. A Premier League title. A third straight Golden Glove. A Champions League finals appearance. And now, a second World Cup with Spain.
The Arsenal goalkeeper described his inclusion in Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad as “a dream,” a phrase that sounds like boilerplate athlete-speak until you consider the trajectory that got him here.
From Brentford to the top of English football
Raya’s path to this moment has been anything but conventional for a goalkeeper of his current stature. He arrived at Arsenal from Brentford in 2023, initially raising eyebrows among fans who wondered whether he could displace Aaron Ramsdale and handle the pressure of a genuine title challenge.
During the 2025-26 season, Raya recorded 19 clean sheets in the Premier League, earning him the Golden Glove for the third consecutive year. The club clinched the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years during the 2025-26 campaign.
