Gallardo: “Navas has been the most important player that Sevilla has had and will have in its history”

Gallardo was the player he replaced Jesus Navas 21 years ago in that clash against Espanyol in which the palace debuted. «For me it is a pride, not only that moment that was important for Jesús’s career, but for having been on his team, having shared a locker room with him and having been at his beginnings, in those first steps of his professional career. I think we are still not aware of the player we are going to fire. “Jesus has been the most important player that Sevilla has had and will have in its history.” He assured in ‘El Pelotazo’, of Canal Sur Radio.

In this sense, he clarifies that «I say it above all because of how the new generations come. I find it very difficult for a player to comply in the same team the number of games that Jesús has played and that he does so winning the same number of titles that Jesús has won with Sevilla FC. This Saturday at the Sánchez-Pizjuán and the following Sunday at the Bernabéu we are going to say goodbye to a legend for Sevilla FC and I am sure that the most important player in the history of the club.”

And Gallardo highlights Navas a lot beyond his brilliant football facet: «His career as a professional is truly outrageous, but his quality as a person must be highlighted. Now that I am lucky enough to direct To the kids of the Spanish team, when I give them an example of how to be and how to do things, I talk to them about Jesús Navas. His focus is only on the field of play and always improving. There are no situations with teammates, interviews or images of him that are bad… everything is clean in Jesús Navas and everything that is talked about him is because of what he has achieved on the field of play and in his career. Beyond the soccer player is how well he has managed his entire sports career,” he said.

Finally, the Sevilla youth squad wanted to highlight the importance of Caparros in the early years of Navas: «It is no coincidence that Caparrós has brought out football legends like Jesús Navas or Sergio Ramos. Or Muniain and Javi Martínez in Athletic. That’s very difficult. Caparrós believes in young players. Lately, when I was with him in sports management, the first question he asked me is ‘who is the best youth player in Sevilla, we have to make him debut.’ “He has that predisposition to count on young people,” concluded Paco Gallardo.