Product Code Database
David Ospina Ramírez (born 31 August 1988) is a Colombia professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Categoría Primera A club Atlético Nacional, which he captains, and the Colombia national team.
Ospina began his career at Atlético Nacional, making his debut with the club in 2005. After achieving two domestic titles with Los Verdolagas, Ospina joined French side OGC Nice. In 2014, he joined Arsenal on a four-year deal. During his time in London, Ospina won three trophies with the club: the FA Cup in 2015 and 2017, as well as the 2017 FA Community Shield. In 2018, Ospina was loaned out to Serie A club Napoli. The following year, Napoli permanently signed Ospina. In 2020, Ospina played a pivotal role in Napoli's conquering of the Coppa Italia. Following unsuccessful negotiations to renew his contract with Napoli, Ospina signed for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr in 2022. In 2024, he returned to his home country, rejoining Atlético Nacional, with whom he won the Copa Colombia for the first time in his career.
Ospina has represented his country at a full international level since 2007. At youth level, Ospina represented Colombia at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. Notably, he was part of the Colombia squads that won gold at the 2005 Bolivarian Games and the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games. Upon his senior debut against Uruguay, he became the youngest goalkeeper to make an appearance for Colombia. He has since earned 129 caps for his nation, making him his nation's most capped player of all time, appearing at four Copa Américas and two World Cups.
Ospina made an immediate impact during the 2005 Torneo Apertura, becoming a key figure in the Atlético Nacional side that secured the league title under manager Santiago Escobar. It was his first major trophy, coming just months after his debut, and helped solidify his reputation as a rising talent in Colombian football.
Local sports media began to praise Ospina's agility, composure, and maturity beyond his years.
By 2007, Ospina had firmly established himself as Atlético Nacional's first-choice goalkeeper. Under manager Óscar Héctor Quintabani, he was instrumental in helping the team achieve a historic domestic double, winning both the Apertura and Finalización. In the Apertura final, Nacional faced Atlético Huila, with Ospina’s strong goalkeeping performances proving decisive in their 2–1 aggregate victory. His contributions in the second leg, played on 17 June 2007, were particularly vital in securing the title.
He debuted in the Coupe de la Ligue on 18 October 2008 and made his Ligue 1 debut a month later. On 17 January 2009, he earned his first league start and clean sheet in a 2–0 home win against AJ Auxerre.
In a 2–1 away victory over FC Lorient on 14 February 2009, Ospina’s standout saves were credited with securing the win.
He made 25 appearances in all competitions during the 2008–09 season, recording five clean sheets in Ligue 1.
Despite Nice’s 15th-place finish, his performances earned him the nickname “the wall of Nice” among local supporters.
In 2010–11, under new manager Éric Roy, he improved further, registering 11 clean sheets in 37 Ligue 1 appearances. Key shutouts included a 1–0 win over Olympique de Marseille on 5 December 2010.
He repeated this consistency in 2011–12 with another 11 clean sheets over 37 league games. A potential transfer to Beşiktaş J.K. fell through in summer 2012, to the relief of supporters.
Despite Nice finishing 17th, Ospina’s performances drew praise and ultimately led to his transfer to Arsenal F.C. in July 2014 for £3 million.
Across six seasons, Ospina made 199 appearances for Nice, including 189 in Ligue 1. He remains widely regarded as one of the club’s top keepers, earning the “Aiglon Crédit Agricole” Player of the Season.
He sustained a thigh injury in October that ruled him out for the remainder of 2014. Upon recovery, Ospina returned in a 2–0 FA Cup win over Hull City and kept a clean sheet in his full Premier League debut, a 3–0 win over Stoke City.
Following Szczęsny's internal disciplinary issues, Ospina became the Premier League starter, keeping further clean sheets against Manchester City and Aston Villa. He played every league match thereafter, though he was an unused substitute in the 4–0 victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup Final.
His performances earned him a place on the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2015 longlist.
He also suffered a shoulder injury during international duty that sidelined him until November.
He continued to feature in the Champions League and started all matches in Arsenal’s successful 2016–17 FA Cup run. In the final, Arsenal beat Chelsea 2–1 at Wembley Stadium, with Ospina making crucial saves including one against N'Golo Kanté.
In the Europa League opener against FC Cologne, he made an early error that led to the German side scoring first, but Arsenal recovered to win 3–1.
Ospina's clean sheet in a 2–0 away win over AC Milan on 8 March 2018 in the Round of 16 helped restore form after four straight defeats. He also featured in the quarter-finals against CSKA Moscow and semi-finals against Atlético Madrid.
While his shot-stopping ability remained strong, questions persisted about his aerial command. Arsenal were eventually eliminated by Atlético Madrid in the semi-finals.
On 4 July 2019, Napoli exercised their option, permanently signing Ospina from Arsenal for a reported €3.5 million.
A pivotal moment came in the Coppa Italia semi-finals against Inter Milan. Ospina misjudged a corner, allowing Christian Eriksen to score directly, but later redeemed himself with key saves and assisted Dries Mertens’ equaliser via a long ball, securing a 2–1 aggregate win. Suspended for the final, Alex Meret started as Napoli beat Juventus 4–2 on penalties after a 0–0 draw.
Key teammates included captain Lorenzo Insigne and midfielder Piotr Zieliński.
Napoli finished 3rd, mounting a strong but ultimately unsuccessful title challenge. Ospina was praised for his leadership, positioning, and shot-stopping. He left the club as a free agent at the end of the season.
However, Ospina's season was cut short by a severe elbow injury sustained in a league match against Al-Shabab on 14 January 2023. The injury required surgery and sidelined him for the rest of the campaign. His absence was a blow to Al Nassr's title challenge. Despite this, the club finished second in the Saudi Pro League, five points behind champions Al-Ittihad. In the King Cup, Ospina made one appearance before his injury; Al Nassr reached the semi-finals but were eliminated by Al-Wehda FC. Other key players that season included Anderson Talisca, the team's top scorer, and Ronaldo, who scored 14 league goals.
Despite Ospina's limited involvement, Al Nassr had a high-profile campaign, finishing second in the Saudi Pro League for a second consecutive year—this time behind unbeaten rivals Al-Hilal.
Al Nassr made strides in cup competitions. They won the Arab Club Champions Cup, although Ospina did not feature in the final due to injury. The team also reached the final of the King's Cup, where they lost to Al-Hilal on penalties after a 1–1 draw.
In the AFC Champions League, Al Nassr reached the quarter-finals but were eliminated by Al Ain in a penalty shootout. Ospina featured in the second leg, making a crucial save, but the team ultimately fell short.
The season marked the continued integration of international signings like Marcelo Brozović, Seko Fofana, Alex Telles, Sadio Mané, Otávio, and Aymeric Laporte, elevating the club’s profile in Asian football. Cristiano Ronaldo continued to be the team's leading scorer, breaking the Saudi Pro League record for most goals in a single season. Although Ospina's game time was limited, his experience remained valued within the squad.
Ospina's immediate impact was felt in the Copa Colombia. He played a crucial role in Atlético Nacional’s triumph in the 2024 edition of the tournament, securing his first-ever title in the competition. In the final, Atlético Nacional held a 3–1 aggregate advantage against América de Cali, drawing the second leg 0–0. Ospina’s presence and leadership were vital in securing the clean sheet that sealed the title. He featured in six matches throughout the tournament and remained undefeated in all of them.
Ospina received his first call-up to the national under-20 team for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship held in the Netherlands. At just 16 years old, he was the youngest member of the Colombian squad, a testament to his prodigious talent and early recognition as a future star. Although he did not make an appearance during the tournament, being part of the squad at such a young age provided invaluable experience, exposing him to the intensity of international youth football and the demands of representing his country on a global stage. The Colombian under-20 team, featuring other future senior internationals, reached the Round of 16, showcasing a strong generation of Colombian football talent.
Two years later, Ospina was a more seasoned presence for the 2007 South American U-20 Championship in Paraguay. He played four matches in the competition, establishing himself as the first-choice goalkeeper for the under-20 side. Despite his individual efforts and growing maturity in goal, Colombia failed to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, marking the end of his opportunities in major youth tournaments. This period allowed him to build a strong foundation, working alongside other emerging talents such as Radamel Falcao and Fredy Guarín, who would later become integral parts of the senior national team.
Ospina made his senior debut for the Colombia national team as a substitute on 7 February 2007 in a 1–3 friendly defeat against Uruguay, marking the beginning of his senior international career. He was 18 years old at the time. His first competitive match for Colombia came during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. On 17 November 2007, he started in a qualifier against Bolivia, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to ever play for Colombia in a World Cup qualifier at 19 years old. Throughout the qualification cycle for the 2010 World Cup, Ospina gradually cemented his place as Colombia’s primary goalkeeper. Although Colombia did not qualify for the tournament, Ospina’s performances were a beacon of consistency, particularly his shot-stopping ability and commanding presence, laying the groundwork for future success. The 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign proved to be a defining period for Ospina and the Colombian national team. He was the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper under coach José Pékerman, playing a crucial role in Colombia’s successful qualification for their first World Cup since 1998. Ospina’s defensive solidity was paramount, and his performances earned widespread praise. By the end of the qualifiers, he had conceded the fewest goals in the CONMEBOL section, a remarkable achievement highlighting his importance to a defensively well-organized Colombian side.
At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Ospina was a standout performer for a Colombian team that captured the hearts of many with their exciting style of play. He started and played every minute of Colombia’s five matches, conceding only four goals throughout the entire tournament.
Ospina continued as Colombia’s starting goalkeeper at the 2015 Copa América in Chile, where he made several critical saves, including a double save against Sergio Agüero and Lionel Messi during a 0–0 quarter-final draw against Argentina. Despite his heroics, Colombia lost in the penalty shootout.
At the Copa América Centenario in 2016, hosted in the United States, Ospina once again proved his value, making two key saves in the penalty shootout against Peru that helped Colombia advance to the semi-finals. Colombia went on to finish third in the tournament.
During the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, Ospina remained Colombia’s first-choice goalkeeper. He started every match at the tournament in Russia, where Colombia reached the Round of 16. In the match against England, Ospina played a central role in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, though Colombia were ultimately eliminated. He maintained two clean sheets; in the group stage matches against Poland and Senegal.
He remained first-choice for the 2021 Copa América in Brazil, helping Colombia secure third place. Ospina’s leadership and penalty-stopping abilities against Uruguay in the quarter-finals were once again vital to the team’s success.
At the 2024 Copa América, held in the United States, Ospina was named to the squad, but due to injury and age considerations, he served as an experienced backup and locker room leader rather than a starter. Camilo Vargas took over on the pitch, but Ospina’s veteran presence and mentorship were credited by teammates and coaching staff as instrumental in Colombia’s runner-up finish.
He acquired French nationality by naturalization in June 2014.
| + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2" | Club !rowspan="2" | Season !colspan="3" | League !colspan="2" | National cup !colspan="2" | League cup !colspan="2" | Continental !colspan="2" | Other !colspan="2" | Total |
| Atlético Nacional | 2006 | Categoría Primera A | 0 | |||||
| 2007 | 0 | |||||||
| 2008 | 0 | |||||||
| OGC Nice | 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2009–10 | 0 | |||||||
| 2010–11 | 0 | |||||||
| 2011–12 | 0 | |||||||
| 2012–13 | 0 | |||||||
| 2013–14 | 0 | |||||||
| Arsenal | 2014–15 | Premier League | 0 | |||||
| 2015–16 | 0 | |||||||
| 2016–17 | 0 | |||||||
| 2017–18 | 0 | |||||||
| SSC Napoli (loan) | 2018–19 | Serie A | 0 | |||||
| Napoli | 2019–20 | Serie A | 0 | |||||
| 2020–21 | 0 | |||||||
| 2021–22 | 0 | |||||||
| Al Nassr | 2022–23 | Saudi Pro League | 0 | |||||
| 2023–24 | 0 | |||||||
| Atlético Nacional | 2024 | Categoría Primera A | 0 | |||||
| 2025 | 0 | |||||||
| + Appearances and goals by national team and year !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals | |
| Colombia | 0 |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
| 0 | |
Arsenal
Napoli
Colombia U20
Colombia
|
|
