Ranking the Top 75 MLS Players of 2024: 36. Rafael Navarro

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Rafael Navarro was a goal-scoring machine in 2024 after leaving fans unsure about his abilities during the first half of his loan from Palmeiras. The Brazilian arrived on loan in the summer and scored just once in 2023. At the start of the following season, Navarro was simply firing on all cylinders and left the Rapids with no choice but to make that loan a permanent transfer when the time came in the summer. The 24-year-old is set to be the No. 9 for the forseeable future. The Rapids finished seventh in the West with 61 goals for. The revamped team worked out for Chris Armas and the team completed a fairly successful season, outside of the six-game losing streak that halted the campaign.

The elongation of Navarro's stay in the Rocky Mountains was no guarantee, even after the opening month of 2024. He scored one goal in that time period, a penalty kick against Real Salt Lake. In April, he contributed another one from the spot in a good draw with Miami. He followed that up with a brace against San Jose in the next match. In May, he finally broke out and went on the run Colorado was patiently waiting for. A five-game scoring streak began with a lovely strike from a tough angle. The run ended during a header during a 3-3 draw with Minnesota. Navarro played a solid Leagues Cup and helped the Rapids claim third place. He scored a brace against FC Dallas to finish out the summer.

Navarro scored 17 goals across all competitions when the dust settled. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and positioning is an underrated part of being a lone striker. He also conneceted on 83.3% of his long ball attempts. He has a sneaky pace to him as well, as he completed 1.55 dribbles a game. He is also a player with a high work rate and won possession back in the final third at least once a game on average, which is always quite helpful for any attack. He will look to replicate his high scoring tally in 2025 with a fairly similar lineup in Colorado. Navarro comes in at No. 36.

36) RAFAEL NAVARRO | FWD, COL | PER 90 STATS (PERCENTILE)

15 GOALS

83.3% LONG BALL ACCURACY (93%)

1.55 SUCCESSFUL DRIBBLES PER 90 (91%)

1.06 POSSESSION WON FINAL THIRD PER 90 (93%)