He spent the vast majority of his career withSevilla, winning eight major titles including four UEFA Cups/Europa Leagues and twoCopas del Rey. In 2013 he signed forManchester City, where he won the2013–14 Premier League. He re-joined Sevilla in 2017, going on to hold the club's record for most competitive appearances at 705.[4][5][6]
Born inLos Palacios y Villafranca,Province of Seville, Navas joinedSevilla's youth system at age 15.[7] In2003–04, he made his first-team (andLa Liga) debut when he played 12 minutes in a 1–0 loss atEspanyol on 23 November 2003.[8] He added four more appearances before the season was over, and in2004–05 he was permanently promoted to the main squad, scoring two goals from 22 games. On 3 May 2005, his contract was extended until 2010.[9]
In2005–06, Navas once again impressed, being crucial as theAndalusians claimed victory inthat campaign'sUEFA Cup; he appeared in all 12 matches in the competition, includingthe final againstMiddlesbrough.[10] A deal was arranged for a transfer toChelsea in August 2006, but the player declined the move citing possible homesickness.[11] He was consistently listed among the best players in the league, appearing inDon Balón magazine's Top 50 each year from 2006 to 2008.[12][13][14]
For the next three years, Navas continued to be a regular for Sevilla, always leading the team inassists while adding nine league goals in total.[15] He also helped them to the2006–07 edition of theCopa del Rey,[16] and to third place in the domestic championshiptwo seasons later.[17]
Navas was ever-present in the2009–10 campaign, appearing in more than 50 games.[18] He provided nine decisive passes (including two in the last round againstAlmería as Sevilla edgedMallorca for fourth place with a 3–2 away win).[19][15] On 19 May 2010, he scored the second goal in a 2–0 victory inthe final of the Copa del Rey againstAtlético Madrid.[20]
Navas'2010–11 season was greatly undermined by injury,[21][22] as he appeared in less than half Sevilla's matches. On 13 March 2011, he scored a rareheader in a 1–1 home draw against eventual championsBarcelona,[23] one of only two competitive goals.[24]
On 4 June 2013, after speculation concerning Navas' future, Sevilla confirmed that he was leaving the club with the expectation of joiningPremier League sideManchester City.[25] The transfer, reportedly valued at £14.9 million,[26] was completed seven days later; the player said "this is the right moment for me to take this step. I'm very happy with the opportunity and the decision."[27]
Navas made his league debut on 19 August 2013, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4–0 home win againstNewcastle United.[28] He scored his first two goals in the competition on 24 November in a 6–0 home rout ofTottenham Hotspur.[29]
On 2 March 2014, Navas scored City's third goal in theLeague Cup final as they defeatedSunderland 3–1 to win the competition.[30] He appeared in 48 games in all competitions in hisfirst season (scoring six goals), helping the club to win the fourth national championship in its history.[31]
Late in the2016–17 campaign, Navas was reconverted by new managerPep Guardiola into aright-back, and from that position he contributed two decisive passes in a 3–1 home defeat ofHull City on 8 April 2017.[35] On 25 May, Manchester City announced he would be leaving the club.[36]
On 1 August 2017, Sevilla announced the return of Navas through a video. He signed a four-year contract[37][38] and was given the number 16 shirt previously worn by the lateAntonio Puerta, who was a close friend.[39]
During his second spell, Navas continued to occasionally appear at right-back.[40] On 20 September 2017, he celebrated his 400th competitive appearance for the club by scoring the only goal of the 1–0 home win overLas Palmas,[41] and he surpassedPablo Blanco's record of 416 matches when he came off the bench againstLevante on 16 December.[42]
On 3 January 2020, Navas became the first player to reach 500 appearances for Sevilla, when he started in a 1–1 draw againstAthletic Bilbao.[45] On 21 August, he captained the side to a 3–2 victory overInter Milan in theEuropa League final, his third title in the competition for the club.[46]
Navas agreed to a new three-year deal in June 2021.[47] On 31 May 2023, the 37-year-old started in theEuropa League final againstJosé Mourinho'sRoma, which ended in a penalty shoot-out victory following a 1–1 draw; he played a pivotal role, as it was his teasingcross in the 55th minute that resulted inGianluca Mancini's own goal to tie the match.[48] Consequently, he was namedPlayer of the Season by UEFA's technical observer panel.[49]
On 16 May 2024, Navas announced that he would be leaving again on 30 June,[50] later revealing on social media that the club did not attempt to reach out to him regarding a potential contract renewal. Following this revelation, chairmanJosé María del Nido offered the player a lifetime extension, which he accepted.[51]
Navas scored the only goal in a 1–0 win overGetafe on 14 September 2024, becoming the oldest player to achieve this for Sevilla in La Liga aged 38 years and 298 days, breaking the previous record ofSergio Ramos.[52] On 14 December, he played his final match at the Sánchez Pizjuán, a 1–0 victory againstCelta de Vigo; he came off after 70 minutes, to hugs from his teammates and a standing ovation from the crowd.[53] His last overall appearance took place at theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium, a 4–2 loss toReal Madrid where he took the field at the hour mark and was cheered by spectators before and after the game.[54]
After breaking into the Sevilla first team, Navas made his debut for theSpain under-21s, scoring in a 1–1 draw againstFrance on 17 August 2004.[55] He had been remarked as a potential star after good performances for club and country, but his anxiety problems forced him to quit international football. In August 2009, he announced his desire to overcome his condition in order to stake his claim in the squad for the2010 FIFA World Cup and made himself available for selection, stating: "To play for your country is the greatest thing and I hope to be able to, too. I have to be calm and make my decision. I have to continue taking the right steps."[56]
Called up for the World Cup inSouth Africa, Navas scored his first international goal on 3 June 2010 in a warm-up match againstSouth Korea, scoring the game's only goal four minutes from time.[61] He appeared in three matches in the tournament, including the last 30 minutes plusextra time inthe final against theNetherlands, when Spain lifted its first World Cup trophy.[62]
Navas was also selected forUEFA Euro 2012, where he appeared in several games for the eventual champions as a substitute. On 18 June, he scored the game's only goal in the 87th minute of the last group stage fixture againstCroatia, handing Spain the first place in Group C: he scored from close range, following an assist by Iniesta.[63]
Picked for the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, Navas made three appearances from the bench. On 27 June, in the semi-final againstItaly, he scored the decisive penalty in the shootout (0–0 after extra time).[64]
Navas was one of seven players cut from Spain's final squad for the2014 World Cup, alongside Manchester City teammateÁlvaro Negredo.[65] On 15 March 2019, after almost six years of absence from international duty, the 33-year-old returned to the national setup forEuro 2020 qualifying matches againstNorway andMalta.[66]
Three years after his last appearance, the 37-year-old Navas was selected for the2023 UEFA Nations League Finals by new managerLuis de la Fuente.[67] He played the full 90 minutes of a victory over Italy in the semi-finals, and in doing so at the age of 37 years and 206 days became the oldest player to feature for the Spain national team, breaking the previous record set byLuis Suárez in 1971 at 36 years and 346 days.[68] Three days later, he again started at right-back inthe final against Croatia, being replaced in the 97th minute of an eventual shootout win;[69] this triumph saw him become the first player in history to win a World Cup, a European Championship and a Nations League title.[70]
On 7 June 2024, Navas was named in the 26-man squad forEuro 2024.[71] Seventeen days later, he captained the side in the group stage 1–0 win overAlbania, becoming the oldest Spanish player to feature in a major tournament aged 38 years and 216 days;[72] Spain would go on to win the tournament, beatingEngland 2–1 inthe final, after which he immediately announced his international retirement.[73][74]
Navas' main assets were his speed,dribbling skills and ability to run at opposing defenders.[75][76][77][78] In his second spell at Sevilla, he was almost exclusively deployed as a right-back, compensating for his physical weaknesses with speed.[79][80][81]
Navas suffered fromchronichomesickness,[82] to the extent he walked out of training camps in Spain because they were too far away from Seville. He also suffered fromanxiety attacks[83] andseizures,[84] and initially refused to travel with Sevilla during pre-season to the United States due to his homesickness, later changing his mind in a bid to rid himself of this condition.[8]
Navas' older brother,Marco, was also a footballer and a midfielder. After also graduating from Sevilla's youth academy he made three first-team appearances, and played mainly in theSegunda División.[85][86] Their family is ofGitano/Romani origin.[87]
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