MACCLESFIELD — David Raya, aged 30, is set to become only the third person to make the journey from non-league football to the Champions League final when Arsenal faces Paris St-Germain. His path began in the fifth tier of English football, far from the grand stage of European club soccer's premier competition.

Raya joined Southport on loan from Blackburn Rovers at age 19, seeking his first-team breakthrough. He made his debut for the National League side in September 2014 in a 3-0 loss to Macclesfield Town in front of fewer than 1,500 spectators at Moss Rose. After arriving at Blackburn in 2012 during the club’s Premier League relegation season, Raya spent two years in England before moving to Southport on a four-month loan in search of playing time. He trained three days a week with Southport and did additional work with Blackburn on off days.

Steve Finnan and Chris Smalling are the only two other players to have made the same leap. Finnan played for Welling United before winning the 2005 Champions League with Liverpool, while Smalling played for Maidstone before being an unused substitute in Manchester United’s 2011 final loss to Barcelona.

At Southport, Raya displayed ball-playing ability uncommon for English goalkeepers at the time. In a 1-0 win over Kidderminster, he received a ball under pressure late in the game, evaded opponents, and passed it calmly to a full-back instead of clearing. Opposition teams tried to test him with high balls and physicality, targeting his 6-foot frame, but he consistently adapted.

Paul Carden, Southport’s former assistant manager, recalled Raya’s early promise: “I obviously knew him a little bit as he'd see me about as an academy coach, but quickly you realised he had really good ability.” He added, “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 because of his ability and his confidence.”

Raya’s final appearance for Southport came in an FA Cup third-round match against Derby County, which ended in a stoppage-time penalty loss. He made multiple fine saves and left the pitch in tears. Reflecting on Raya’s rise, Carden said, “I don't think anybody could have predicted or scripted it. You wouldn't be 100% surprised but you wouldn't have put a bet on him.”