GARETH SOUTHGATE will come face-to-face again with a Spanish star who left him heartbroken in his final ever game as a player on Sunday.
The England boss is gearing up to lead out our heroic Three Lions against Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
His team booked their spot in the Berlin showpiece with a 2-1 vicyory over Holland on Wednesday.
Super-sub Ollie Watkins scored the 90th-minute winner in what many believe was the country’s greatest sporting moment for generations.
Southgate has faced plenty of criticism throughout England’s journey to the final.
But he silenced his critics as he became the first England boss to lead them to two major finals in addition to also reaching the 2018 World Cup semi-final.
Southgate, who the FA want him to remain in the job, will secure the first men’s major title in 58 years with a triumph over Spain – but he will have to overcome a former foe on the pitch to do so.
That man is none other than Jesus Navas, the 38-year-old winger who previously starred for Manchester City.
He spent four years at the Etihad from 2013 after arriving from his boyhood club Sevilla, and that is where he is still starring now after he returned to them in 2017.
Seven years before his move to the Cityzens, he helped the LaLiga side to Uefa Cup glory.
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And they beat none other than Middlesbrough 4-0 in the final – who were captained by then 35-year-old Southgate.
In the build-up to Sunday’s reunion, which is 18 years after the first meeting, several throwback pictures have been shared on social media of Navas, who was only 20, in action against Southgate.
And nostalgic supporters were quick to jump into the comment section.
One wrote: “How time passes so quickly!”
Another wrote: “Southgate will get revenge of that final loss in 2024.”
“How the hell Southgate is coaching & Navas still playing,” said another confused fan.
While a fourth, a confident Spaniard, declared: “Same result for this final too, easy.”
AFTER what has been a tough tournament of times, what an opportunity Gareth Southgate and his team will have to end in the best possible way, writes Jack Wilshere.
We might like a team that played better football. But it’s a results business.
Germany, Italy, France, Portugal and of course Holland would love to be where we are.
People will say we’re lucky because we’re on this side of the draw.
But we won the group. France didn’t and then ran into Spain.
You can say it wasn’t that pretty, but we’re there.
Gareth and his coaches won’t have been happy with some of the performances.
But I did like the way Gareth and his team have dealt with it.
There was no panic coming out of the camp.
Everyone gave the same message: ‘We know we can better, but we’re here still.’
And on Sunday they will be in Berlin to play Spain.
They will probably have to produce two halves of football as good as the first against Holland to beat them.
We have improved as the tournament has gone on and that is how you win things.
You want to peak in the final.
If Gareth can lead England to that major trophy we’ve all been waiting for, it will be the perfect answer to the critics and a brilliant day for us all.
Read Jack Wilshere’s England vs Holland verdict in full.
Or check out all of SunSport columnist Jack’s Euros 2024 opinions…
That night was the final game of Southgate’s playing career, and that summer he replaced Steve McClaren as Boro boss when he departed for England.
Now Southgate won’t be the only member of his coaching staff gunning for revenge against Navas.
Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, a coach in the England set-up, started up front for Boro back on that evening in Eindhoven, Holland.
England have played Spain 27 times in total - here is a look at every result...
Overall, England have won 14, drawn three and lost 10 matches against Spain.
