Exciting young defender and hot prospect for Spain
Further proof that the best way to get ahead in Spanish football is to score against Madrid or Barcelona.
It was a goal against Real Madrid for Getafe in October 2006 - far, far more than a number of impressive displays at centre-back - that really got the country talking about this guy. Madrid themselves were interested in signing him, but in the end he joined Valencia for €6m instead in the summer of 2007. A serious knee injury saw him make just 14 league appearances in his first season but returned to score in the final of the Copa del Rey.
Began his career at Malaga before spending a season at Getafe. Tall, strong and quick, if occasionally prone to silly mistakes, he is still young enough to expect a Spain call-up.