sa国际传媒官网网页入口

It鈥檚 part of the tattoo on his right forearm. Near the elbow joint and inside the portrait of the eye 鈥� that鈥檚 where the soccer pitch is in full view.

It鈥檚 a rather fitting ode. After all, Cristian Nava and the sport seem so intertwined. 

He鈥檚 the former sa国际传媒官网网页入口 High standout; the homegrown kid who came through the New Mexico United Academy and the first from it to sign with the first team before turning 18.

And yet, there was a time when the now 22-year-old couldn鈥檛 stand soccer. For the injuries it had inflicted upon him. For the pain and doubts they created. For snatching something that previously appeared so promising 鈥� not once, but twice.

Nava had enough. He needed a break. So, he left the club and the city. Determined for a fresh start somewhere else. The lifelong footballer felt like anything had to be better, or at least different.

It led him to Colorado. Working a graveyard shift cleaning the trailers of big rigs felt like a world away.

鈥淚t was more to not think about the sport,鈥� Nava said Wednesday. 鈥淚 wanted to get everything off my mind. I felt like when I was going through the injuries, I wasn鈥檛 in the best place, so getting away from it kind of helped.鈥�

Retirement 鈥� however brief 鈥� it turned out, wasn鈥檛 all that great anyway. A homecoming, away from the daily grind, sounded nice.

Nava had grown up in the sport. His mother, Martha Rios, signed him up after one of her friends asked about Nava鈥檚 interest. He was reluctant at first. He blossomed anyway.

He led sa国际传媒官网网页入口 High to a Class 5A state championship in 2019 and made his first-team United debut less than two years later. He scored his first professional goal on May 24, 2022, in a 7-0 win over Phoenix Rising.

Everything was trending upward. So was Nava.

鈥淩ight away, I remember the very first session all those years ago, just the quality and how he shifts and moves the ball,鈥� said Daniel Bruce, an NMU assistant and a forward when Nava was first called up who retired after last season. 鈥淎 top quality player. He had such confidence. He had such an aggressive nature. 

鈥淗e had that youthful type of attitude that you know when you鈥檙e a kid and your mum takes a ball from you and you鈥檙e like, 鈥業 want it back. Give me the ball.鈥� That鈥檚 kind of what his attitude was and that鈥檚 something that鈥檚 never left him, which is real quality. That鈥檚 a unique thing.鈥�

The scars that dot and stripe his left knee are not. Those are more of a reminder of what could have been. Of the time lost. Of the months of constant rehab that followed. And yet, they鈥檙e also a reminder how far he鈥檚 come 鈥� of the gratitude, the second chance and the perseverance.

And what can still be.

Nava tore his ACL the first time in 2023 during a friendly against the University of Washington at St. Pius High School.  He appeared in two regular-season games before the injury.

It took almost a year to make his way back to the pitch.

It was a short comeback. Nava tore his ACL a second time just a week after being cleared, in April 2024.

From his debut to his second knee injury, Nava appeared in 22 games. He scored twice and recorded two assists.

And then? He retired. Jan. 1, 2025 in an . He was done. Colorado was eventually waiting.

Soccer, however, had a way of pulling him back in.

Nava took part in an adult league during his off time from his night job. Things went from there. He and United got back in contact. In February, he re-signed with the club for the 2026 season. 

鈥淗onestly, I didn鈥檛 really want to (come back) at first,鈥� Nava said. 鈥淚t was more of, 鈥榃hy not?鈥� It was never something that I was like, 鈥極k. I want to do this.鈥� But now that I鈥檓 back, I realize it鈥檚 everything I鈥檝e ever wanted.鈥�

Perhaps in more ways than one. 

United has noticed a different player in his second stint. One who is more mature, more vocal and has the ability to pass along some of his own experiences to others. Even at a young age, Nava has become more of a wily veteran.

But getting back is one thing and performing is another.

Nava scored in his first start since returning to soccer, sinking a 90th-minute game-winner in a 3-2 victory over Cruizers FC in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup.

He鈥檇 like to contribute more.

United (2-3) will face AC Alta FC (0-2-4) in the USL Cup on Saturday.

鈥淭his is a different Nava compared to the first time he came back from the first (ACL),鈥� said David Estrada, an assistant with the first team and the head academy coach. 鈥淭his Nava is recognizing that he had to do a little bit of work on himself. He鈥檚 done very well so far, but we still think that his ceiling is not even close to being reached.鈥�

It鈥檚 part of the reason why Nava came back.

Nava and the sport remain intertwined. For better or for worse. And at this point, it鈥檚 always worth the try. Why not?

鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 everything,鈥� Nava said. 鈥淚鈥檝e lost it all and when that happens, even that first time, you realize how much it means to you and what your life is like without it. And without it, mine wasn鈥檛 the best. I love the game. It鈥檚 everything to me and I really can鈥檛 wait to be here for a long time.鈥�

David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X .