Biography
Who is David Raya?
Early life and career beginnings
David Raya Martín was born on September 15, 1995, in Barcelona, Spain. He grew up playing futsal and youth football for Cornellà before moving to England to join Blackburn Rovers on a scholarship in July 2012 at the age of sixteen. He signed his first professional contract with Blackburn in February 2014 and gained senior experience during a loan spell at Southport during the 2014 to 2015 season.
After returning to Blackburn Rovers, David became the club's first choice goalkeeper following their relegation to League One. He made 47 appearances during the 2017 to 2018 season, helping the team achieve automatic promotion back to the Championship. He departed Blackburn in July 2019 after making 108 total appearances for the club.
Brentford and Premier League rise
In July 2019, David signed for Championship club Brentford on a four-year contract. During his first season, he earned a nomination for Goalkeeper of the Year at the London Football Awards and shared the EFL Golden Glove award after keeping 16 clean sheets. He helped Brentford achieve promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs in 2021.
David continued as Brentford's starter in the Premier League, leading all goalkeepers in saves and save percentage during the 2022 to 2023 season according to Opta Sports data. He rejected a contract extension offer and subsequently moved to Arsenal on a season-long loan in August 2023 before making the transfer permanent in July 2024.
Arsenal success and records
At Arsenal, David quickly established himself as the starting goalkeeper under manager Mikel Arteta. During the 2023 to 2024 campaign, he won the Premier League Golden Glove award by keeping 16 clean sheets and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. He also saved two crucial penalties in a Champions League shootout against Porto to help Arsenal reach the quarter-finals.
David continued breaking records in subsequent seasons, securing consecutive Golden Glove awards and breaking club clean sheet records previously held by David Seaman and Jimmy Ashcroft. He made his 100th appearance for Arsenal in September 2025 during a match against Nottingham Forest.
International career with Spain
David made his senior international debut for the Spain men's national football team in 2022. He was selected as part of the Spanish squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar.
He continued to represent his country at major international competitions, featuring in the squads that won the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament and subsequent international fixtures.
David's height and physical details
David stands at a height of 184 centimeters, which aids his presence in the penalty box as a professional goalkeeper. His physical stature and distribution skills have established him among top European goalkeepers.
Birthday and age
David Raya was born on September 15, 1995, which makes David 31 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. David shares the date with 29 other famous people.
Explore more
