12:27 PM
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Books – Muhammad Al-Hadi:
Jesus Navas, captain of the Sevilla team, is preparing to play his 943rd and final match with the team today, Sunday, against rival Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the Spanish League.
This match comes as the conclusion of an exceptional career that spanned nearly 22 years, during which Navas won 8 titles with Sevilla, including 4 European Union Cups, in addition to 3 titles with Manchester City, most notably the English Premier League in the 2013-2014 season, and 4 international titles with the Spanish national team. , including the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2024.
Jesús Navas’ football beginnings
Navas was born in the town of Los Palacios and Villafranca, near Seville, and joined the club’s academy at the age of 15.
Navas began his football career from a fast winger who grew up in the Sevilla youth academy to a reliable full-back with extensive experience, despite suffering in recent seasons from a chronic and painful thigh injury.
After making his first appearance with the first team after only 3 years, he quickly established himself as a key member of the team, as he was part of the golden generation that achieved the greatest achievements in the club’s history.
He played alongside stars such as Frederic Kanoute, Enzo Maresca, Luis Fabiano, and Julian Escudi, as well as local players such as Jose Antonio Reyes and Antonio Puerta, as the team won 4 major titles from 2006 to 2010, including the European Cup twice and the Copa del Rey twice.
Injury is the secret to Navas’ retirement
“I tried to enjoy the rest of the time with the fans, which is the best thing about it,” says Navas, who turned 39 in November, speaking from Sevilla’s training ground.
He continued, “The pain appears when I train hard or participate in intense matches, which makes it difficult to even play with my children in the following days, so I try to rest as much as possible.”
Jesús Navas joins the Spain national team
Thanks to his speed and direct style, Navas caught the attention of the Spanish national team, where he was called up for the first time in 2009.
In the 2010 World Cup final, Navas created a pivotal moment with his quick run that contributed to the decisive winning goal scored by Andres Iniesta.
He also played a prominent role in Spain achieving the 2012 European Championship title, where he was part of the golden generation alongside players such as Iniesta, Xavi, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, and Xabi Alonso.
Jesus Navas station with Manchester City
His remarkable performance with club and national team attracted the attention of major European clubs, and he moved to Manchester City in the summer of 2013 with a deal amounting to 20 million euros.
His start with City was amazing, as he scored a quick goal after one minute in a match that ended in a 6-0 win over Tottenham, and he ended his first season by winning the Premier League title and the League Cup, scoring 6 goals and 13 assists.
Navas played 183 matches during 4 seasons with Manchester City, but found himself increasingly on the bench with the arrival of coach Pep Guardiola in 2016.
After his contract expired in 2017, he returned to Seville to continue his brilliance, as he led the team to achieve two additional European League titles, and assisted decisive goals in the 2020 final against Inter and the 2023 final against Roma.
In 2023, after an absence that lasted several years, coach Luis de la Fuente called Navas to the Spanish national team to participate in the European Nations League finals, where he played in the right-back position and contributed to winning the title.
The end of Jesús Navas’ international journey
In the summer of 2024, he concluded his international career by adding a European Championship title to his track record.
Navas announced his retirement from international football after the tournament and was honored in a friendly match against Serbia in the presence of his family members.
With this, Navas concludes an exceptional career full of achievements with his club and his country, while leaving a great legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of Spanish football.
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