Wednesday morning in Seville and the sun was out and Luis de la Fuente was laughing. Training was just about to start as the national team prepared for their vital qualifier against Scotland, a game they had to win, and out there on the grass at the Jesús Navas stadium was … well, Jesús Navas. Yes, the same one.
“It’s got your name on it, and you’re still alive,” the Spain coach said, giggling, as the players gathered.
Not just alive, still kicking.
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Thursday evening in Seville and the sun had gone down and de la Fuente was celebrating. All around him, so were almost 50,000 others. There were 15 minutes left, and out there on the grass at La Cartuja was Navas.
“I knew he was going to deliver the perfect ball,” Spain captain Álvaro Morata said afterwards. “All I had to do was be ready when it happened.” Diving in, Morata headed home, Scotland’s resistance broken at last, another Euros for Spain a step closer now.
Navas, who won a Euros 11 years ago now, the only member of the squad who has, had provided another perfect curling ball from the wing. At 37 years and 325 days, he had just become the oldest player ever to give an assist for Spain. Still kicking, still going, almost 20 years since he made his professional debut.
