Navarro targets MLS greatness as St. Louis City's 17-game unbeaten run meets LA Galaxy
Navarro embraces the weight of a record move
Rafael Navarro has made a superb start to life at St. Louis City SC and says he is determined to rank among the best the league has seen. The forward arrived from the Colorado Rapids in a $12 million deal at the close of MLS' summer transfer window and has already netted 15 goals in MLS this term, five of those coming in as many games since joining St. Louis.
Far from feeling burdened by the transfer fee, Navarro says the price tag is a badge of honour.
"It means a lot to me, because I like to be among the greats. I work hard for that, you know? So I like having that price tag. I know it happened because I'm doing my job well, so I enjoy it. I know that I can improve more. For sure, it's an honour. I know what my responsibilities are, what my job is, what my game is. I think there's pressure, but I'm used to playing with pressure. I played in Brazil."
Navarro is only the second player in MLS history to score at least 10 goals with one team and five with another in the same regular season, joining Mike Magee, who managed 15 with the Chicago Fire and six with the LA Galaxy during his 2013 MVP campaign.
City's unbeaten run among the longest ever
Navarro has slotted into a side that is flying high atop the Western Conference. St. Louis City are on a 17-game unbeaten streak — the third-longest single-season point streak in MLS history, behind only FC Dallas' 19-game run in 2010 and the Columbus Crew's 18-game run in 2004.
The run has been a genuine team effort. Ahead of a September 25 meeting with the New York Red Bulls, when the streak stood at 16 games, seven different St. Louis players had registered at least five goal contributions during the run, led by Simon Becher's nine (seven goals, two assists). Nine different players had scored a match-winner in that span, with Tomas Totland the only one to do so more than once.
Galaxy arrive as City chase another result
Next up is a clash with the LA Galaxy, and Navarro is relishing the challenge and the wider growth of the league.
"It's been a very good experience for me. I enjoy the league, which is getting better and better, and all the big-name players who have come here, like [Lionel] Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Muller. So MLS is a very good league. The culture, the pitches, the competition, they're a little different. But I've been treated very well. I also like the city a lot. I like living here. I enjoy the life I live."
St. Louis City have never lost to the Galaxy, winning three and drawing four, and have scored multiple goals in each of the last six meetings, netting three in each of the last three. The Galaxy arrive on the back of a 3-2 win over Colorado before the international break — their second straight 3-2 victory after also beating Minnesota United — having scored three goals just once in their first 26 regular-season matches of 2026 before this run.
For the visitors, Justin Haak scored his first goal of the season in the Colorado win, a header that continued an unusual trend: two of the Galaxy's last four goals have come via headers, after none of their previous 23 regular-season goals had been headed.
Opta's win probability favours the home side strongly: St. Louis City 58.4%, Draw 21.6%, LA Galaxy 20%.