Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya is set to compete in the Champions League final against holders Paris St-Germain on Saturday.
He becomes only the third player to reach the European showpiece after playing in English non-league football.
The 30-year-old Spain international started his senior career in front of fewer than 1,500 spectators during a four-month loan spell with fifth-tier side Southport in 2014.
He moved to Blackburn Rovers from Cornella's youth academy.
Raya follows Steve Finnan and Chris Smalling as the only players to transition from the non-league system to a Champions League final.
Unlikely Journey
Former Southport assistant manager Paul Carden expressed amazement at the goalkeeper's career trajectory. "I don't think anybody could have predicted or scripted it," Carden said.
Carden noted that Raya actively chose to gain experience in a physical league rather than remaining solely in development squads.
"You've got to give credit to him because he went on a bit of a pathway that not many young lads want to take," he added.
During training sessions at Edge Hill University, teammates noticed Raya's exceptional footwork and composure under pressure.
In a crucial league match against Kidderminster, Raya dribbled past opposing forwards late in the game.
"We were hearts in mouth in the dugout, but he's obviously not fazed by it and just got on with it," Carden recalled.
Raya handled the unique demands of the National League through self-belief and high technical ability.
"A young Spanish player going into the National League could quite easily have been played on, but whenever teams did, he always came out the other side," Carden said.
The goalkeeper finished his tenure at Southport with a strong performance against Championship side Derby County in the FA Cup third round.
He left the pitch in tears after conceding a late stoppage-time penalty that ended the cup run.
"He was bitterly disappointed, but we all were, so that kind of tells you how much he felt at the time for the lads and the club," Carden said.
Carden concluded that Raya's performance showed he belonged at a higher level. "He made some saves in that game where we thought he's definitely at the level."
Raya subsequently returned to Blackburn Rovers, gaining promotion from League One in 2017 before moving upward in English football.
