Jude Bellingham has shared a heartfelt message to Jesus Navas after the former Manchester City forward played the final match of his career on Sunday. Navas, aged 39, came on as a substitute in the second half for Sevilla during their 4-2 loss to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Navas, who spent four years at Manchester City from 2013 to 2017, will retire when his contract ends on December 31. The Spanish winger made his senior debut in November 2003 and has accumulated over 900 appearances for both club and country, with more than 700 of those coming for Sevilla during two separate stints.

After battling a persistent hip injury for several years, Navas has decided to retire. His last start for Sevilla came on December 14 against Celta Vigo, and he will bid farewell to fans at a special event at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan on December 30.

And after Navas made his final appearance against Real, Bellingham shared a classy touch with the ex-City star. The England midfielder embraced Navas on the pitch before sending him a message in an Instagram story. He said: “Congratulations on a fantastic career, and all the best for the future! @jnavas16,” alongside a raising hands emoji.

Navas joined City for £14.9million in June 2013 and established himself as a key member of Manuel Pellegrini’s title-winning side that season. He played 30 times as City lifted the Premier League title for the second time, beating Liverpool, who were nine points clear with five games to go, to the post.

The right midfielder, who was turned into a full-back under Pep Guardiola, left the club in June 2017 after making 183 appearances in total. He returned to Sevilla that summer and has spent the rest of his career with the Spanish club, cementing himself as a legend there and winning nine major honours.

Speaking after the defeat to Real and his final game, Navas issued an emotional statement: “In the last two minutes, I was already very emotional. I’m at peace knowing I gave it my all and brought happiness to so many people. Thank you to Real Madrid, the stadium, and their fans for the incredible affection—it’s been overwhelming.”