Emotional Jesus Navas bids farewell to football career

SEVILLE, Spain: Retiring Spanish football legend Jesus Navas tearfully bid farewell to his playing career on Monday with songs, chants and other tributes at a ceremony at Sevilla´s packed Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium.

The 39-year-old winger -- Sevilla and the Spanish national team´s most-decorated player -- will officially retire when his contract expires on December 31 due to a painful and chronic hip injury which has plagued him in recent seasons.

“I live to give joy to my Sevilla and the Spanish fans and if it hadn´t been for my hip I would have continued, that´s for sure. That´s why it was very difficult for me to say that this is the end of the season,” Navas told the crowd of around 45,000 fans who packed the stadium for the tribute, pausing at times to fight back tears. “I have been suffering from hip difficulties for several years, but in the last few weeks the condition has worsened,” he added as he stood below a huge placard that read “Navas legend”.