Real Madrid hands 'keeper Keylor Navas the No. 1 shirt

Costa Rican shot-stopper Keylor Navas has been given the No. 1 shirt last worn by club legend Iker Casillas.

Despite nursing an Achilles injury that kept him out of this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup, barring the signing of oft-rumored transfer target David De Gea, Navas will be Madrid's first-choice keeper, according to manager Rafa Benitez.

"Whoever goes in between the posts knows what his job is. I've spoken to Keylor and, right now, he knows he is the keeper that is ahead of the rest in terms of quality and experience," Benitez said recently, as reported by Adriana Garcia of ESPN FC.

Whether these comments are empty or not, handing Navas the No. 1 shirt certainly reflects some truth behind them.

Casillas, who had been at the Bernabeu since joining the club as a youth in 1990, signed with Portuguese giants Porto in the offseason after the Los Blancos failed to offer him a new contract.

In the event Navas is not fit for the start of the 2015-16 La Liga campaign, newly signed 'keeper Kiko Casilla should be able to adequately fill the void.