Jesús Navas puts an end to his brilliant career this Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu

The Spanish full-back Jesús Navas, legend of Sevilla FC, retires from football this Saturday at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in the match on matchday 18 of LaLiga EA Sports and he does so after a 20-year career in which he has played 882 matches at international level. of clubs and has become the player of the Sevilla team with the most appearances in its history with 704, waiting to play with Real Madrid.

A first-class stage will be the last in the sporting career of one of the most important players in Spain in the 21st century. The Los Palacios player will say goodbye to football at the age of 39 after 20 seasons in the elite, 18 of them at Sevilla FC, the club he loves and where he has become a legend.

Jesús Navas ends his sporting career as the player with the most games played in the history of Sevilla, far ahead of the second, Pablo José Blanco, who has 415. In addition, the Nervión youth player is also the player with the most victories in the club with 342 wins and the one that has played the most seasons in the Seville club’s squad.

A Navas who has been present in the best Seville in history. In these 18 seasons, the Andalusian player has become the Sevilla player with the most titles in history since the current Sevilla captain has won four European Leagues, a European Super Cup, two Copas del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup with the shirt. Furthermore, on an individual level, he was named the best midfielder in LaLiga in 2009-2010 and the best player in the Europa League in 2022-2023.

In general terms, Jesús Navas, a sharp winger who became a winger over the years and with needs, could play his 516th match in the First Division at the Bernabéu, which places him in tenth position on the list. of players who have played the most matches in the highest category of Spanish football, only surpassed by illustrious figures such as Andoni Zubizarreta, Joaquín Sánchez, Raúl García, Raúl González, Eusebio Sacristán, Paco Buyo, Sergio Ramos, Manuel Sanchís and Lionel Messi.

A Jesús Navas who lived for four seasons, between 2013 and 2017, his particular ‘Erasmus’ on British soil. The ‘goblin of Los Palacios’, already a key player at Sevilla, signed in the summer of 2013 for Manchester City, then managed by Manuel Pellegrini. There, he won over the ‘Citizens’ fans with his performance and managed to win three trophies: two League Cups and one Premier League. In total, 886 games at club level in his career.

In addition to his performance in clubs, Jesús Navas will be remembered as the only player, to date, who has won more titles with the Spanish team, which he left after winning EURO 2024. The Andalusian has won a World Cup, the 2010, two Euro Cups, those of 2012 and this past summer in Germany, and a Nations League in 2023 with the ‘Red’ in the 56 international matches he has played. disputed, in which he has scored five goals.

This record highlights the ability of the one from Los Palacios, also remembered for his participation in Andrés Iniesta’s goal that won the historic world title, to extend his performance over the time of having been present in the two most successful generations of Spanish football.