1. Early Life and Background
David de Gea Quintana's football journey began at a young age, leading him through the ranks of Atlético Madrid's youth system before he stepped onto the professional stage.
1.1. Childhood and Youth Career
David de Gea was born in Madrid, Spain, on 7 November 1990, and grew up in the nearby town of Illescas. His football career commenced at the age of 10 when he joined the youth academy of Atlético Madrid. His then-coach, Juan Luis Martín, played a pivotal role in his recruitment, reportedly misleading the club into believing that Rayo Vallecano was on the verge of signing him. Shortly thereafter, scout Diego Díaz Garrido independently identified De Gea's talent and secured his immediate signing for Atlético. De Gea steadily progressed through the various youth ranks, honing his skills and demonstrating his potential.
1.2. Early Professional Stages
At the age of 17, De Gea signed his first professional contract with Atlético Madrid in 2008, a deal that was set to keep him at the club until 2011. He spent his second professional season playing for Atlético Madrid B, the reserve team of Atlético Madrid, which competed in the Segunda División B, the third tier of Spanish football.
In the summer of 2009, De Gea attracted interest from other clubs for potential loan moves, including Numancia in Spain and English teams Queens Park Rangers and Wigan Athletic, with Atlético's sporting director Jesús García Pitarch pushing for a move to Numancia. However, De Gea rejected these approaches, leading to a period where he was reportedly forced to train alone as a form of punishment. Weeks later, Atlético manager Abel Resino observed De Gea training by himself and invited him to join the first-team squad, where he was designated as the third-choice goalkeeper. That same summer, Atlético also rejected a permanent transfer offer for De Gea from Wigan Athletic.
2. Club Career
David de Gea's professional club career is largely defined by his impactful stints at Atlético Madrid and his long, decorated tenure at Manchester United, before his recent move to Fiorentina.
2.1. Atlético Madrid
De Gea's development within the Atlético Madrid youth system culminated in his rapid ascent to the first team, where he quickly became a key figure, contributing to significant European triumphs.
2.1.1. First-Team Debut and Early Performances (2009-10 season)
De Gea's call-up to the senior team came as cover for first-choice goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo, who was away on international duty for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup. De Gea made his debut for the Atlético first team at the age of 18 on 30 September 2009, when he was brought on as a substitute after Roberto suffered an injury 27 minutes into Atlético's UEFA Champions League group stage match away to Porto. Atlético lost the match 2-0, with De Gea conceding two late goals.
Three days later, Roberto's injury led to De Gea making his La Liga debut at home against Real Zaragoza. In the 19th minute, he conceded a penalty kick, but he immediately redeemed himself by saving Marko Babić's attempt, contributing to a 2-1 victory. He described starting at the Vicente Calderón Stadium as a "dream since childhood". In January 2010, amid reports linking him to Manchester United as a potential successor to Edwin van der Sar, De Gea signed a new contract that extended his stay at Atlético until 2013.
Following several costly mistakes by Asenjo and the appointment of Quique Sánchez Flores as manager, De Gea ended the 2009-10 season as the starting goalkeeper. He earned two man of the match awards against Athletic Bilbao and Valencia CF. He also played in eight matches of the club's victorious UEFA Europa League campaign, including the 2-1 final win against Fulham. His teammate Diego Forlán commented on his first season, stating, "David was good enough for the top level at 19 and the players had confidence in him."
2.1.2. UEFA Super Cup Victory and Growing Recognition (2010-11 season)
De Gea commenced the 2010-11 season with a strong performance, keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup. Notably, in the 90th minute, he saved a penalty kick from Diego Milito. In September, reports surfaced that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had missed a League Cup match to personally scout De Gea during an Atlético game against Valencia. De Gea downplayed these rumors, emphasizing his contract with Atlético until 2013.
Following his "faultless" display in the Madrid Derby on 7 November, De Gea was hailed as the potential successor to Real Madrid's goalkeeper Iker Casillas for the Spanish national team. Casillas himself concurred with this sentiment, stating, "In Spain we are lucky to have very good goalkeepers and De Gea soon might be fighting my place in the team." Spain manager Vicente del Bosque also described De Gea as "the future of the team". Throughout the remainder of the season, De Gea maintained his position as the undisputed starting goalkeeper, playing in every La Liga match as Atlético finished seventh.
2.2. Manchester United
De Gea's transfer to Manchester United marked the beginning of a significant chapter in his career, characterized by periods of exceptional performance, numerous accolades, and also moments of scrutiny and fluctuating form.
2.2.1. Transfer and Initial Adaptation (2011-12 season)
Throughout the 2010-11 season, there was widespread speculation regarding who Manchester United would sign to replace their retiring goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, with De Gea emerging as their primary target. Following Gary Neville's testimonial match against Juventus on 24 May 2011, Sir Alex Ferguson indicated that a deal had been struck to bring De Gea to Old Trafford. However, this was swiftly denied by both De Gea's representatives and the Atlético management, with De Gea stating he would only consider his future after the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. After Spain's victory in the tournament, De Gea was seen in Manchester undergoing a medical with United on 27 June. The transfer was officially confirmed on 29 June 2011, for a fee of approximately 18.90 M GBP, which set a new British record for a goalkeeper at the time.
Growing up, De Gea had admired former United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, and he was often compared to Van der Sar, even being dubbed "Van der Gea".
De Gea made his first appearance for Manchester United in a 3-1 friendly victory over Chicago Fire on 23 July 2011. His competitive debut came on 7 August in the Community Shield against rivals Manchester City. Despite conceding two goals in the first half from a Joleon Lescott header and a long-range Edin Džeko strike, United mounted a second-half comeback to win 3-2. A week later, De Gea made his Premier League debut against West Bromwich Albion, where he received criticism for failing to save Shane Long's goal in a 2-1 United victory, a moment Ferguson described as "a learning process." De Gea's first clean sheet for United came on his Old Trafford debut in the subsequent fixture, a 3-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur. Six days later, he saved a penalty from Arsenal captain Robin van Persie during United's dominant 8-2 victory, making further saves to deny Van Persie and Andrey Arshavin. Teammate Wayne Rooney publicly supported De Gea, calling him a "strong character."
On 18 September, Manchester United defeated Chelsea 3-1 at Old Trafford, with De Gea making a series of crucial saves, most notably denying Ramires when the midfielder had an open net. His improving form continued in his next appearance, where he made two significant saves to secure a 1-1 draw away at Stoke City, earning praise from teammates Patrice Evra and Darren Fletcher. De Gea made his first ever UEFA Champions League start in a 3-3 draw against Basel on 27 September 2011. On 15 October, his nerve-free performance and important saves at Anfield in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool led manager Kenny Dalglish to jokingly remark, "I thought the press said the boy was struggling."
On 23 October 2011, De Gea was in goal as Manchester United suffered their worst home defeat since 1955, a 6-1 loss to Manchester City, marking the first time United had conceded six goals at home since 1930. He was also in goal during the league defeat to Blackburn Rovers and was widely criticized for failing to deal with an aerial ball, leading to a late goal by Grant Hanley in a 3-2 defeat. Despite the error, De Gea expressed his determination, stating, "All keepers make mistakes once in a while and none of us like it when we do. I have every intention of spending many years here at Manchester United. I want to become a great United keeper and I want to earn and deserve the respect I hope to get," and expressed his ambition to surpass Edwin van der Sar. Following this match, De Gea was temporarily replaced by United's second-choice goalkeeper, Anders Lindegaard. An injury to Lindegaard, however, saw De Gea return to the starting line-up for a 3-3 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 5 February 2012. De Gea later identified his last-minute save from Juan Mata in this match as the turning point of his season, as he went on to play the club's final 19 matches, keeping eight clean sheets.
Reflecting on his challenging first season in England, De Gea admitted, "There have been doubts in the first season but I always had faith in my ability. The pressure at an elite club like United is huge but Ferguson just told me to do what I did at Atlético. You have to be as strong when things go wrong but I don't get nervous. Mistakes are normal; everyone makes them." He later confessed that he considered leaving the club after that difficult first season. His goalkeeping rival, Anders Lindegaard, expressed his intention to fight for the number one spot he had lost due to injury.
2.2.2. Performance Improvement and Solidifying Role (2012-13 season)
Due to his participation in the 2012 Summer Olympics, De Gea missed Manchester United's pre-season tour. Nevertheless, he returned to the starting lineup for the opening league match against Everton. Despite making some "outstanding" saves, United lost 1-0. In the subsequent match, a 3-2 home victory against Fulham, De Gea made noteworthy saves against Mladen Petrić, Mousa Dembélé, and Bryan Ruiz. However, a misunderstanding with Nemanja Vidić while attempting to claim a cross from Matthew Briggs led to the Serbian defender scoring an own goal, which was Fulham's second.
On 9 December, De Gea made back-to-back saves from Manchester City's Carlos Tevez and David Silva, helping United to a 3-2 victory in the Manchester Derby at the City of Manchester Stadium. In the following match, a 3-1 win against Sunderland at Old Trafford, De Gea produced an important double-save from Craig Gardner and Stéphane Sessègnon's follow-up shot.
De Gea faced criticism from former United captain Gary Neville for a punch that allowed Tottenham to score a stoppage-time equalizer in a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane on 20 January 2013. Neville commented, "You've got to learn the hard way and he's learning in a very unforgiving environment where he's judged continuously at the highest level. There's a theory that he saved Manchester United because he made two or three great saves, but unfortunately that's a waste of time. He played well yesterday, but playing well for 92-and-a-half minutes and then doing that in the 93rd is a problem at a club like that." In response, Ferguson defended De Gea, calling his critics "idiots."
On 13 February 2013, De Gea made several crucial saves to help United secure a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the first leg of the Champions League last 16. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson praised his "excellent" performance, which was widely seen as a turning point, transforming him from "villain to hero" and signifying that he had "come of age." Goalkeeping coach Eric Steele lauded De Gea's inner strength and calmness, stating, "You bring a boy into the Premier League at 20, it's not easy. He's learning in the toughest environment in the world. But the one thing he has is fantastic inner strength. We teach him that the calmest man on the field has to be the goalkeeper. And one of his great strengths is his calmness."
On 23 February, De Gea recorded his second consecutive clean sheet for United, stopping a Loïc Rémy shot and a Christopher Samba header to help United to a 2-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers. This was followed by a 4-0 win at Old Trafford against Norwich City on 2 March, and another clean sheet on 16 March in a 1-0 victory against Reading. De Gea was involved in a controversial aerial challenge with West Ham United striker Andy Carroll that left him "poleaxed," with Ferguson expressing disbelief at the lack of a red card.
De Gea's consistent form throughout the season was recognized by his peers, culminating in his selection for the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. He ended the season with his first Premier League winner's medal with United, having made 28 appearances and keeping 11 clean sheets, as the team secured the title by an 11-point margin. This placed him joint-fifth in the race for the Premier League Golden Glove.
2.2.3. Club Player of the Year (2013-14 season)
De Gea's season began with a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over Wigan in the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium. On 5 October 2013, his save to deny Sunderland's Emanuele Giaccherini during a 2-1 away win was described by former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel as one of the best saves ever seen in the Premier League. Manager David Moyes echoed Schmeichel's assessment, calling the save a "turning point" when United were trailing 1-0, and noted that De Gea "is improving all the time." Teammate Juan Mata praised De Gea's self-belief and resilience, stating, "He has huge faith in himself, which is a really important virtue. He doesn't let anything affect him. The day he makes a mistake he knows he has made a mistake but it never sinks him. He uses it to make sure that he doesn't make the mistake next time. It's a great quality."
On 1 December, De Gea made his 100th appearance for Manchester United in a 2-2 draw against Tottenham. He received support from teammate Darren Fletcher after he was deemed to be at fault for a weak Phil Bardsley shot that slipped past him deep into extra time during the League Cup semi-final second leg against Sunderland on 22 January 2014. Despite De Gea's penalty saves from Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson in the ensuing penalty shootout, United lost 2-1 after Javier Hernández's goal made the aggregate score 3-3. On 19 March, during the Champions League knockout stage against Olympiacos, De Gea made a crucial double-save before half-time as United came back from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 on aggregate. His performance was described as "magnificent" and defying "all known laws of physics and physiology." Teammate Phil Jones stated that De Gea was "up there with the best goalkeepers in the world." De Gea's performances throughout the season led to him being named both the club's Players' Player of the Year and Fans' Player of the Year.
2.2.4. Emergence as World-Class Goalkeeper (2014-15 season)
De Gea played a key role in helping United secure back-to-back victories for the first time under new manager Louis van Gaal in a home win against Everton on 5 October 2014. During the match, De Gea made three vital saves, including a penalty save from Leighton Baines, to help United secure a 2-1 win, for which he was voted man of the match by Manchester United fans. He became the first goalkeeper to stop a penalty from Baines, who had previously converted all 14 of his Premier League penalties. After several crucial stops against Everton, West Brom, and Chelsea, he was named Manchester United's Player of the Month for October. Former United captain Gary Neville remarked, "We are now seeing a huge improvement in his game. And he is winning United match after match, which is what I expect from a United goalkeeper. He has now become a great goalkeeper."
On 14 December, De Gea was awarded the man of the match for his "outstanding" performance against Liverpool, making eight saves in a 3-0 victory, a performance widely regarded as the best of the Premier League season. Van Gaal praised him as "unbelievable" for his consistent performances, and he was dubbed the "saving grace" for being the one constant in the team throughout the season. Amid persistent rumors of a departure, De Gea stated he was "proud" to play for United, prompting Peter Schmeichel and Gary Neville to urge the club to secure a new contract with him.
At the end of the season, De Gea was shortlisted for both the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the PFA Young Player of the Year, ultimately losing to Eden Hazard and Harry Kane respectively. On 26 April 2015, he was named as the goalkeeper in the PFA Team of the Year, being the only Manchester United player included. He also won both the Fans' Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards for the second consecutive season. His save against Everton was voted as the Premier League Save of the Season by Match of the Day, making it the second consecutive year he received this award.
2.2.5. Real Madrid Transfer Saga and New Contract (2015-16 season)
On 7 August 2015, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal confirmed that De Gea would not be considered for selection for United's Premier League opener against Tottenham due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding his future. On 13 August, Van Gaal revealed that De Gea had informed goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek that he wished to be left out of the team. However, De Gea later claimed he had never expressed a desire not to play, but he subsequently trained with the reserves.
On 31 August, after a summer filled with speculation, an agreement for a transfer to Real Madrid was reportedly reached, valued at 29.00 M GBP and including the part-exchange of fellow goalkeeper Keylor Navas. However, the deal famously collapsed due to paperwork not being submitted before the transfer window in Spain closed. Following the closure of the transfer window, Spanish national team head coach Vicente del Bosque stated that it would be difficult for him to select De Gea for Spain's European Championship squad if Manchester United continued to omit him from their lineup.
On 11 September, De Gea signed a new four-year deal with Manchester United, with an option to extend it for an additional year, ensuring his stay at the club until at least June 2019. Twelve days later, in the third round of the League Cup, De Gea captained Manchester United for the first time, wearing the armband for the final nine minutes of their victory over Ipswich Town. In April 2016, while leading the race for the Premier League Golden Glove with 14 clean sheets, De Gea was the sole Manchester United player named in the PFA Team of the Year. On 23 April, in a 2-1 win over Everton in the FA Cup semi-finals, he saved a penalty from Romelu Lukaku.
In May 2016, De Gea became the first player in Manchester United's history to win the club's Player of the Year award for a third consecutive season. During the same month, he also won BBC Match of the Day Save of the Season for the third consecutive year, for his save against Watford on 21 November 2015. In the last league match of the season, a 3-1 win over AFC Bournemouth, De Gea was denied the chance to share the Premier League Golden Glove with Arsenal's Petr Čech due to a stoppage-time own goal by Chris Smalling. However, United went on to win the FA Cup, securing a major trophy.
2.2.6. Under José Mourinho (2016-17 season)
Under new Manchester United manager José Mourinho, De Gea made his first appearance of the season in the FA Community Shield against Premier League winners Leicester City. The match concluded with a 2-1 victory for United. De Gea began the Premier League season by keeping two clean sheets in his first three games against Southampton and Hull City. He was part of the Manchester United team that suffered a significant 4-0 loss to Chelsea, their heaviest Premier League defeat since the 6-1 loss against Manchester City in October 2011. On 26 February 2017, he won his first EFL Cup title after a 3-2 victory over Southampton in the final.
On 20 April 2017, De Gea was selected as a goalkeeper in the PFA Team of the Year for the fourth time in his career. On 24 May, he secured his third trophy of the season as Manchester United defeated Ajax 2-0 in the Europa League final, despite being an unused substitute to Sergio Romero in that match.
2.2.7. Golden Glove Award (2017-18 season)
On 17 September 2017, in the fifth match of the Premier League against Everton, De Gea recorded his fourth clean sheet of the season and his 100th overall for Manchester United.
On 2 December 2017, in a 3-1 victory over Arsenal, De Gea made 14 saves, equaling the Premier League record for the most saves in a single game, a mark previously shared by Tim Krul and Vito Mannone. His performance earned him the Man of the Match award. On 18 April 2018, De Gea was once again selected as a goalkeeper in the PFA Team of the Year for the fifth time, and was the only Manchester United player to be included.
On 11 May 2018, following a 0-0 draw against West Ham, De Gea secured his 18th clean sheet of the season, earning him his first Premier League Golden Glove award since joining Manchester United in 2011.
2.2.8. Inconsistent Form and Criticism (2018-19 season)
The 2018-19 season began with De Gea keeping just five clean sheets in his first 25 appearances. However, the start of 2019 saw a resurgence in his form, as he managed five clean sheets in just eight appearances. This included a notable 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 13 January 2019, where he made 11 saves to keep Spurs off the scoresheet, the second-most by a goalkeeper in a single Premier League match, only surpassed by his 14 saves against Arsenal a year prior. His clean sheet against Liverpool on 24 February marked his 100th for Manchester United in the Premier League, making him the seventh goalkeeper to reach that milestone for a single club in the competition and the second for Manchester United after Peter Schmeichel.
In March and April, De Gea experienced a significant dip in form, attracting criticism from fans and pundits alike. He made notable errors in losses to Arsenal, Barcelona, Everton, Manchester City, and in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea. De Gea concluded the season with just 7 clean sheets in 38 Premier League appearances, his lowest tally during his time at Manchester United, and only managed 10 clean sheets across all competitions for the club.
2.2.9. Decline and Club Records (2019-20 season)
On 3 July 2019, prior to the 2019-20 season, De Gea was offered a new contract, with negotiations continuing throughout July. On 11 August 2019, De Gea started in Manchester United's opening Premier League match against Chelsea and kept his first clean sheet of the season in a dominant 4-0 victory. On 16 September 2019, Manchester United confirmed that De Gea had signed a new four-year contract extension, committing him to the club until at least June 2023.
In October 2019, he became an injury doubt for the North-West derby after sustaining an injury while playing for Spain. Despite this, De Gea started the game, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
In Manchester United's first game following the season break enforced by COVID-19 against Tottenham Hotspur, De Gea made an error leading to a goal that ultimately cost United the win. This incident followed a series of errors earlier in the season against Crystal Palace, Watford, and Everton. This period of error-prone performances, similar to the previous season, led to calls from some fans for Dean Henderson to be made Manchester United's first-choice goalkeeper. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær publicly backed De Gea, stating that while Henderson would "one day" be England's and United's number one, De Gea was currently "the best goalkeeper in the world."
However, De Gea's inconsistent form continued in United's FA Cup Semi-final tie against Chelsea, where he was directly responsible for one of the goals in a 3-1 defeat. This came just one week after he had reached several significant milestones and club records for United, including becoming the most capped non-British or Irish player to play for the club on 9 July, and making his 400th appearance for the club on 13 July. On 16 July 2020, he also kept his 112th Premier League clean sheet against Crystal Palace, equaling Peter Schmeichel's club record in the top flight. On the final day of the Premier League season, De Gea kept his 113th Premier League clean sheet against Leicester City, surpassing Schmeichel's record.
2.2.10. Competition and Europa League Final (2020-21 season)
The return of Dean Henderson from an extended loan spell at Sheffield United meant De Gea faced genuine competition for Manchester United's number one jersey for the first time since joining the club in the 2020-21 season. De Gea began the season as first-choice, missing only two of the club's first 26 league matches: he was left out of the squad for the match against West Ham United on 5 December 2020 after aggravating an injury sustained in the previous league game against Southampton, while Henderson was preferred against Sheffield United on 17 December. On 2 February 2021, De Gea played the full 90 minutes and kept a clean sheet in Manchester United's Premier League record-equalling 9-0 home win against Southampton.
De Gea also started five of Manchester United's six Champions League group matches. However, after the team finished third in their group and dropped into the Europa League, Henderson was preferred in goal for the Europa League knockout phase. In early March 2021, De Gea returned to Spain for the birth of his first child, allowing Henderson to become the first-choice goalkeeper in the league, while De Gea started to be preferred in the Europa League. He kept clean sheets in both legs against Granada in the quarter-finals, and on 6 May, he made nine saves in a 3-2 away defeat to Roma in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League semi-final, as United progressed to the final with an 8-5 aggregate victory.
On 26 May, in the 2021 UEFA Europa League final, De Gea missed his team's last penalty in an 11-10 penalty shoot-out defeat to Spanish side Villarreal after the match finished 1-1 after extra time, which handed Villarreal their first-ever European title.
2.2.11. Consistent Performances (2021-22 season)
De Gea began the league season against Leeds United, conceding a goal. He earned his first clean sheet of the season in a 1-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. In the fifth gameweek of the season, De Gea saved his first penalty for Manchester United since an FA Cup tie against Everton in 2016. He denied Mark Noble of West Ham United from the spot in the last action of the game, securing a 2-1 victory for United after a late goal from Jesse Lingard.
2.2.12. Resurgence and Final Season (2022-23)
On 16 October 2022, De Gea played his 500th match for Manchester United across all competitions in a draw against Newcastle United. On 12 February 2023, he played his 400th Premier League match for Manchester United, becoming the first non-British player to make more appearances for a single club in the league. On 26 February, he broke Peter Schmeichel's record for the most clean sheets in Manchester United's history, achieving his 181st clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the 2023 EFL Cup final. On 20 May, he won the Premier League Golden Glove for the first time since the 2017-18 season. On 3 June, he played his last match for Manchester United in a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
De Gea's contract with Manchester United expired on 1 July 2023, as negotiations over a new deal broke down, making him a free agent while discussions continued. His departure from the club was officially confirmed on 8 July 2023. De Gea left Manchester United as the club's seventh all-time appearance maker, having played in 545 games across all competitions. At the time of his departure, he was the last player remaining from the Sir Alex Ferguson era to leave Manchester United. However, the club later re-signed former defender and Premier League winner Jonny Evans that same summer, meaning this distinction was no longer the case.
2.3. ACF Fiorentina
After spending the entirety of the 2023-24 season as a free agent, on 9 August 2024, De Gea signed for Serie A club Fiorentina. He made his debut for the club on 22 August, in a 3-3 draw against Puskás Akadémia in the 2024-25 UEFA Conference League play-off round. Later that year, on 6 October, he saved two penalty kicks, contributing to a 2-1 win over AC Milan.
3. International Career
David de Gea has represented Spain at various youth levels, achieving notable success before earning his call-up to the senior national team, where he participated in major international tournaments.
3.1. Youth National Teams
De Gea helped the Spain under-17 team win the 2007 European Championship and finish as runners-up at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup. In early May 2010, his solid performances for Atlético earned him a place in senior squad manager Vicente del Bosque's provisional 30-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup; however, he did not make the final cut of 23 players. In 2011, he was a key part of the Spain under-21 team that won the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and was subsequently named in UEFA's Squad of the Tournament.
On 15 May 2012, De Gea was called up to the Spanish senior team for two friendly matches against Serbia and China. He was considered for Del Bosque's Euro 2012 squad but ultimately did not make the final 23-man group. He was, however, selected to play at the 2012 Summer Olympics, where he featured in all three matches as the nation was eliminated in the group stage after three losses. De Gea was part of the Spain under-21 team that retained their European title in 2013, and he was named in the Squad of the Tournament for the second consecutive time.
3.2. Senior National Team
On 13 May 2014, De Gea was included in Spain's 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and later made the final squad. He made his first senior international appearance against El Salvador in a 2-0 friendly victory on 8 June, in preparation for the tournament, replacing Iker Casillas for the last seven minutes of the match at the FedExField in Washington D.C. As the third-choice goalkeeper behind Casillas and Pepe Reina, De Gea was the only member of the squad not to feature at that World Cup, in which Spain was eliminated in the group stage.
On 4 September 2014, he made his first start for Spain, playing the entire 90 minutes against France in a friendly match, conceding a goal from Loïc Rémy in a 1-0 defeat. He played his first competitive international on his third cap on 12 October, keeping a clean sheet in a 4-0 away win against Luxembourg in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying. Many pundits and figures, including Casillas himself, tipped De Gea to succeed Casillas as Spain's long-term number one goalkeeper.
On 31 May 2016, he was named to Vicente del Bosque's final 23-man Spanish squad for UEFA Euro 2016. He started their opening match against the Czech Republic in Toulouse, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory. He followed up with another clean sheet against Turkey as Spain won 3-0, surpassing the clean sheet record held by England legend Gordon Banks. The following match, however, he conceded twice to Croatia as his team lost 2-1. Spain was eliminated in the round of 16 on 27 June, with their opponent Italy scoring the only two goals of the match.
On 21 May 2018, De Gea was called up to Spain's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. In Spain's first game of the tournament on 15 June, he was at fault for Portugal's second goal, letting a Cristiano Ronaldo shot slip through his grasp; Ronaldo completed a hat-trick during the 3-3 draw, with his first goal coming from a penalty, and his third from a free-kick, which were Portugal's only other shots on target. In Spain's second group match against Iran on 20 June, he kept a clean-sheet in a 1-0 victory. De Gea continued to struggle in Spain's final group match against Morocco on 25 June, which ended in a 2-2 draw. His unsteady performances in the group stage drew criticism in the media, who noted that he had only made one save in the tournament.
On 1 July, De Gea also failed to make a save during Spain's 4-3 penalty shootout loss to hosts Russia in the Round of 16; the match had ended in a 1-1 draw after extra-time, with De Gea being beaten by an Artem Dzyuba penalty in the first half. De Gea ended the tournament having conceded six goals from seven shots on target, excluding the four goals he conceded in the penalty shootout. With only one save, he recorded fewer saves than any other goalkeeper who had played at least three matches in a single edition of the tournament since 1966. De Gea himself criticized the Adidas Telstar 18 official match ball, calling it "really strange" and claiming that "it could have been made a lot better."
On 24 May 2021, De Gea was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020, where he served as backup to Unai Simón and did not make an appearance. He was later excluded entirely from the Spain squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with Simón, David Raya and Robert Sánchez selected as the three goalkeepers.
4. Style of Play
Regarded as a promising prospect in his youth, David de Gea developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world. De Gea grew up playing futsal as an outfield player until the age of 14, which is credited with helping develop his footwork. He has incorporated various futsal goalkeeping techniques into his play style, which is evident in his ability to make saves with his feet. This unorthodox, yet effective, method of making saves with his feet has been recognized for influencing modern goalkeeping.
An elegant and athletic keeper, De Gea is particularly known for his exceptional reflexes, agility, and shot-stopping ability between the posts. His penchant for saving the ball with his feet enables him to produce acrobatic dives and spectacular saves. Former goalkeeper Shay Given described De Gea as the best shot-stopper in the world in 2018. Furthermore, he has been noted for his consistency, composure, leadership, and precise positional sense.
Due to his slender frame, De Gea initially struggled in his youth with defending high balls, often punching them away rather than holding onto them, and was at times reluctant to venture far from his line. He has since shown improvements in his aerial prowess, handling, command of his area, decision-making, and ability to come out and claim crosses, particularly as he developed physically and gained more experience. In 2012, Kyle Diller described him as a "strong presence in the box." However, in later seasons, his inability to consistently come off his line and deal with crosses was again cited as a weakness in his game, especially in comparison to his teammate Dean Henderson.
De Gea is highly regarded for his speed when rushing off his line in one-on-one situations, a quality that also enables him to function as a sweeper-keeper. However, in later seasons, Adam Bate of Sky Sports noted in 2019 that De Gea primarily remained in his area and swept up the ball less frequently compared to other leading goalkeepers in the Premier League. His change in style also drew criticism from Mark Ogden of ESPN in 2020, who urged him to take inspiration from other goalkeepers. That same year, Mark Critchley of The Independent observed that De Gea "has never been especially comfortable playing behind a high line, regularly coming out second-best in one-on-ones with opposition strikers." Jonathan Wilson, in a 2020 article for the Irish Times, also pointed out that sweeping was not a natural part of De Gea's game and suggested that his tendency to sit deeper with Manchester United, in contrast to his position with the higher-line Spanish national team, contributed to his loss of form following his poor and error-prone performances at the 2018 World Cup.
In addition to his shot-stopping abilities, De Gea possesses excellent ball control, vision, and distribution with either foot, which enables him to initiate attacking plays from the back. In 2014, he credited his goalkeeping coach under Louis van Gaal, Frans Hoek, for helping him develop this aspect of his game, which Mark Critchley had initially criticized as being "average." However, in 2020, his distribution was again described as "limited" by Critchley, particularly when compared to other ball-playing goalkeepers in the Premier League. In a 2018 article for The Guardian, Wilson suggested that De Gea's unremarkable passing and lack of confidence with the ball at his feet contributed to the contrast between his performances for Manchester United and Spain.
De Gea's effectiveness at stopping penalties has also been questioned in recent years, despite having saved penalties from specialists such as Leighton Baines, Diego Milito, Steven Gerrard, and former teammate Robin van Persie throughout his career. Notably, he did not save a single penalty between April 2016 and September 2021. During that period, De Gea conceded 40 penalties, including all eleven he faced in the 2021 UEFA Europa League final shootout defeat to Villarreal.
5. Personal Life
David de Gea's life outside of football includes his family, personal interests, and notable events throughout his career.
In January 2012, De Gea was confirmed to be farsighted, although this condition was not believed to have affected his on-field performances. He is a known fan of heavy metal music, with Avenged Sevenfold being one of his favorite bands. He has attended concerts by bands such as Slipknot and Avenged Sevenfold in Manchester.
De Gea has been in a relationship with Spanish singer Edurne since 2010. The couple married in Menorca on 1 July 2023. On 4 March 2021, they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Yanay. De Gea also ventured into the world of esports in 2021, founding his own team named Rebels Gaming.
In September 2011, a minor incident was reported where De Gea was stopped by security at a Tesco supermarket in Manchester for allegedly taking a Krispy Kreme donut without paying. De Gea clarified the situation, explaining that he had forgotten his wallet in his car and intended to retrieve it, leading to a misunderstanding. Despite the explanation, he was reportedly banned from the supermarket for three months, and on some occasions, rival fans would throw donuts onto the pitch during matches.
Prior to UEFA Euro 2016, De Gea was embroiled in a sexual assault allegation, but he was later acquitted due to conflicting witness testimonies. He shared a close bond with former Atlético Madrid teammate Kléber Santana and expressed his condolences on social media following the tragic plane crash involving the Brazilian football club Chapecoense in 2016. In 2018, De Gea showed interest in Korean goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, liking an interview video of him posted by Daegu FC on Facebook. In March 2020, De Gea anonymously donated 300.00 K EUR to a local organization in Madrid to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
6. Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Madrid B | 2008-09 | Segunda División B | 35 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 35 | 0 | ||||
| Atlético Madrid | 2009-10 | La Liga | 19 | 0 | 7 | 0 | - | 9 | 0 | - | 35 | 0 | ||
| 2010-11 | La Liga | 38 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 0 | ||
| Total | 57 | 0 | 12 | 0 | - | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 84 | 0 | |||
| Manchester United | 2011-12 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| 2012-13 | Premier League | 28 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | - | 41 | 0 | ||
| 2013-14 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 0 | |
| 2014-15 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 43 | 0 | |||
| 2015-16 | Premier League | 34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | - | 49 | 0 | ||
| 2016-17 | Premier League | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| 2017-18 | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 2018-19 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | - | 47 | 0 | ||
| 2019-20 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 43 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | - | 36 | 0 | ||
| 2021-22 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | - | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2022-23 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | - | 58 | 0 | ||
| Total | 415 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 82 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 545 | 0 | ||
| Fiorentina | 2024-25 | Serie A | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | - | 25 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 530 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 98 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 689 | 0 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 2014 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 45 | 0 | |
7. Honours
David de Gea has accumulated numerous team and individual honors throughout his distinguished career.
Atlético Madrid
- UEFA Europa League: 2009-10
- UEFA Super Cup: 2010
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2012-13
- FA Cup: 2015-16
- EFL Cup: 2016-17, 2022-23
- FA Community Shield: 2011, 2013, 2016
- UEFA Europa League: 2016-17
Spain U17
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2007
- FIFA U-17 World Cup runner-up: 2007
Spain U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2011, 2013
Spain
- UEFA Nations League runner-up: 2020-21
Individual
- Premier League Golden Glove: 2017-18, 2022-23
- Premier League Player of the Month: January 2022
- Premier League Save of the Month: February 2023
- PFA Team of the Year: 2012-13 Premier League, 2014-15 Premier League, 2015-16 Premier League, 2016-17 Premier League, 2017-18 Premier League
- PFA Fans' Premier League Player of the Month: November 2014
- Match of the Day Save of the Season: 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2015-16
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011, 2013
- FIFA FIFPro World11: 2018
- Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18
- Manchester United Players' Player of the Year: 2013-14, 2014-15, 2017-18, 2021-22
- Sports Illustrated Premier League Team of the Decade: 2010-2019