David de Gea turns 36 today. 🎂
Born on 7 November 1990 in Madrid, he went from a skinny teenager in Atlético’s academy to one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation.
Twelve years at Manchester United. A Premier League title. A year with no club at all.
Now he is back — captain of Fiorentina, and still starting every week in Serie A. Here is his then and now story. ✨
Then: The Boy From Illescas
David de Gea Quintana grew up in Illescas, a small town south of Madrid. He joined Atlético Madrid’s academy at 13.
He did not start out as a goalkeeper. Until he was 14, he played futsal as an outfield player — which explains those quick feet.
His senior debut came on 30 September 2009, aged 18. He came off the bench against Porto in the Champions League after the starter was injured.
By the end of that season he was Atlético’s first choice. In May 2010, still a teenager, he helped them win the UEFA Europa League.
A few months later he saved a penalty as Atlético beat Inter Milan 2–0 to lift the UEFA Super Cup. Europe had noticed the skinny kid in goal.
Like Harry Kane, who also had to fight for his place before becoming undroppable, de Gea’s early years were about proving he belonged.
The Manchester United Years
In June 2011, Manchester United signed him for £18.9 million — a British record fee for a goalkeeper. Sir Alex Ferguson wanted him to replace Edwin van der Sar.
The start was rough. He was slight, and Premier League strikers crowded him at crosses. Every mistake was debated on television.
Ferguson alternated him with Anders Lindegaard. Some wondered if United had got it wrong.
They had not. In 2012–13, de Gea won the Premier League in Ferguson’s final season — the first of his many honours.
Over 12 years he made 545 appearances and kept 190 clean sheets — both club records for a goalkeeper. He won the FA Cup, the Europa League and two League Cups.
He was voted the club’s Player of the Year four times, and won the Premier League Golden Glove twice. Fans called him the best shot-stopper in the world.
He also wore Spain’s No. 1 shirt, winning the Under-21 European Championship in 2011 and 2013, and starting at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
The Year Away
Then, in July 2023, it ended abruptly. His contract expired, with no farewell match and no new deal. He had just won another Golden Glove.
He spent the whole 2023–24 season without a club. Some wondered if he would retire. He kept training, ran his esports team Rebels Gaming, and spent time with his family.
He had married his long-term partner, Spanish singer Edurne, in July 2023. Their daughter Yanay had been born in March 2021.
Like Cole Palmer, who left his boyhood club to find regular football, de Gea needed a fresh start — and he found one in Italy.
Now: Captain in Florence
In August 2024, Fiorentina signed him. A year after leaving Old Trafford, he was back in a top league — this time in Serie A.
He settled fast. In 2025–26 he played 37 league games, kept 10 clean sheets, and renewed his contract until June 2028.
In December 2025 he took the captain’s armband. The boy who once looked lost in Manchester was now leading a Serie A side.
This season he has started all 10 of Fiorentina’s league matches. The start was rough, but his form has come roaring back in recent weeks.
Against Napoli in September he made three big saves in a 1–1 draw. Italian reports said he looked like his old self again.
Like Thierry Henry, who found a second peak away from England, de Gea has rebuilt his career abroad — on his own terms.
His next match is tomorrow, at home to Juventus. And today, he turns 36 — still diving, still saving, still standing between the posts. 🧤