Euro 2024: Navas hoping to end dream Spain career with historic win

3 months ago

On nan eve of his last crippled for Spain, Jesus Navas says he has sewage nan ‘absolute maximum’ retired of a profession which was his dream arsenic a child.

The 38-year-old wing-back is apt to make-way for Dani Carvajal, backmost from suspension, arsenic La Roja return connected England successful Berlin’s Olympiastadion connected Sunday nighttime – a crippled which will beryllium Navas’ past earlier retiring from world football.

24 hours. #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/dWQqOX43uP

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 13, 2024

Across nan past 21 years nan Sevilla skipper has played much than 500 times for nan nine he joined arsenic a junior, pinch a four-year spell astatine Man City sandwiched successful nan middle.

He has besides enjoyed a 15-year world career, helping Spain to triumph nan 2010 World Cup and nan 2012 Euros, arsenic good arsenic nan Nations League past year.

“For me, it’s been nan absolute maximum you could achieve,” he told uefa.com. “It was nan dream I had arsenic a small boy – to bask playing for Spain, to springiness everything for my nationalist team.

“I dream we tin springiness nan state joyousness connected Sunday night. England are a immense squad pinch world-class players. It’s going to beryllium really difficult, but we are very excited and very eager to play because we’ve been having a really bully tournament.”

2006 UEFA Cup Final

Sevilla vs Middlesbrough

Jesús Navas vs Southgate pic.twitter.com/a8QVZgE52F

— My Greatest 11 (@MyGreatest11) July 13, 2024

In 2006 Navas was successful nan Sevilla squad which hit Middlesbrough, featuring existent England leader Gareth Southgate and coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, successful nan UEFA Cup final.

“That was a unsocial acquisition against Middlesbrough,” he said. “A triumph which Sevilla had been waiting for for a agelong time. It would beryllium unthinkable to repetition that emotion (against England).”

Navas made much than 120 appearances during his enactment successful Manchester, lifting nan Premier League and 2 League Cups, meaning he knows he tin expect a passionate showing from England connected Sunday.

“I lived successful a convention wherever it was each astir competitiveness, velocity of play,” he said. “The Premier League was location I wanted to acquisition and, honestly, I enjoyed it very much.

“English shot is very passionate – each lucifer has a immense atmosphere.”

Navas told a media convention astatine nan Olympiastadion connected nan eve of nan crippled that he is affectional astir nan imaginable of nan final.

“The narration betwixt nan full squad is fantastic,” he said. “I dream we tin make it hap for nan squad and nan country. I really dream we tin triumph that trophy.

“I get affectional astir everything I do. Being here, astatine 38, to support playing for my nationalist squad is incredible. It would beryllium an immense consciousness of joyousness to triumph it.”