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Jesús Navas, feeling at home

The international player acts as a host at the stadium bearing his name, where the national team trained this Friday.

In Seville, where everything is special, there's a stadium named after Jesús Navas, the eternal footballer still running up and down the right wing at almost 38 years old. He shines with Sevilla and also with Spain; his contribution was crucial in Thursday's victory for the national team against Scotland, putting them on a good track for qualification for Euro 2024. Time doesn't seem to affect him, improving with age like wine and happy to host the team's last training session before departing on Friday afternoon to Oslo.

"It moves me to be on the field of a legendary footballer who is a historic figure for Spanish football and for Sevillismo like Jesús Navas," summarizes Luis de la Fuente, also connected to the Andalusian entity because he defended that badge when he was an active player. "I've already told him how lucky he is to have a field named after him in his home and in his lifelong club. It's the highest a footballer can aspire to."

Another international player like Ansu Fati grew up in Seville, aspiring to be like Navas when he was a child. "Jesús has been my childhood idol. Returning to this city and the sports city, with this field bearing his name, is an honor. It's a dream for me; I used to come here as a kid and watch him from afar, and it was a motivation for me to reach the elite."

Antonio Álvarez, another Sevilla legend with 13 seasons serving that club and present at Spain's training session this Friday, also praises Navas highly. "He's not a god, but he's very close. When you're training in your city, and on top of that in the stadium named after you... You can't feel more proud. Jesús Navas deserves all of this."

And what does the main character say? "This is very beautiful. It's really exciting, and now to enjoy this moment with the national team is something unique. At 15 years old, I was already playing for Sevilla, and the excitement and eagerness I had to reach the first team... Seeing your name here now, especially for the children, is the reflection of something very beautiful."

At his home, Navas has acted as a host to a dressing room that venerates him. "They have congratulated me. They know it's something very significant, something to be very proud of."