Jesús Navas

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Navas' journey began in Los Palacios y Villafranca, joining Sevilla's youth system at age 15 before making his La Liga debut on 23 November 2003. His early career was defined by resilience; after declining a move to Chelsea in 2006 due to homesickness, he became a Don Balón Top 50 regular from 2006 to 2008. A significant turning point occurred on 19 May 2010 when he scored the second goal in a Copa del Rey final victory against Atlético Madrid. Although his 2010–11 season was marred by injury, he recovered to lead Sevilla in assists for three consecutive years. His loyalty was tested again in 2013 when he left for Manchester City, winning the League Cup and Premier League, before returning to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on 1 August 2017. Upon his return, he wore the number 16 shirt of his late friend Antonio Puerta and was eventually named one of the captains ahead of the 2018–19 season, becoming first captain in 2020–21.

In Their Own Story

The climax of Navas' second spell arrived in the 2022–23 Europa League final against José Mourinho's Roma. On 31 May 2023, at age 37, he started the match and played a pivotal role with a teasing cross in the 55th minute that resulted in Gianluca Mancini's own goal to tie the game. The match ended in a penalty shoot-out victory, earning Navas UEFA's Player of the Season award from the technical observer panel. His farewell season concluded with emotional moments: on 14 September 2024, he became the oldest player to score for Sevilla in La Liga at 38 years and 298 days against Getafe. On 14 December, he played his final match at home against Celta de Vigo, coming off after 70 minutes to a standing ovation. His very last appearance occurred at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on 16 May 2024 in a loss to Real Madrid, where he entered at the hour mark to cheers from the spectators before and after the game.

Reader's Guide

Navas joined Sevilla's first team at age 15, making his debut in a 1–0 loss to Espanyol on 23 November 2003. He was permanently promoted in 2004–05, scoring two goals in 22 games. His international career faced a major hurdle due to anxiety problems, forcing him to quit temporarily before returning in August 2009 to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. He made his senior debut on 14 November 2009 against Argentina and scored his first international goal against South Korea on 3 June 2010. Navas went on to win the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2012, and the 2022–23 Nations League. Notably, at age 37 years and 206 days, he became the oldest player to feature for Spain during the Nations League semi-final against Italy in 2023. He captained Spain in a Euro 2024 group stage win over Albania on 25 June 2024 at age 38 years and 216 days before retiring from international football following the tournament victory.

Did You Know?

• Navas declined a transfer to Chelsea in August 2006 specifically citing possible homesickness.
• On 18 October 2018, Sevilla named a training pitch 'Campo Jesús Navas' in his honor.
• He broke the record for oldest goalscorer in European competition for Sevilla, not La Liga; the oldest La Liga scorer for Sevilla remains Juan Arza.
• Navas is one of several Spanish players to have won a World Cup, a European Championship, and a Nations League title, but he is not the first to achieve all three.
• On 16 May 2024, he revealed on social media that the club did not attempt to reach out regarding a contract renewal before accepting a lifetime extension from chairman José María del Nido.