UEFA honours
UEFA European Championship: winner 2008, 2012
UEFA Champions League: runner-up 2007

• Unable to break into the Galácticos side upon being promoted to the first-team squad, he returned to nursery club Real Madrid Castilla in 2005/06 before leaving for RC Deportivo La Coruña, where he played regularly until Liverpool FC lured him to Anfield in January 2007.

• His first Liverpool start came in the UEFA Champions League away to FC Barcelona, marking Lionel Messi; made three more starts in the competition before his late introduction in the final against AC Milan.

• A runner-up in the 2008/09 Premier League, he left Liverpool to rejoin Madrid on a five-year contract after 98 appearances, including 26 in Europe, for the Reds.

• Made his Spain debut in March 2008 against Italy and played once in La Roja's triumphant UEFA European Championship campaign that summer − in the group stage versus Greece.

• Quickly established himself as a Madrid regular, making 30 Liga appearances in his first campaign back at the club, 2009/10, and 26 in each of the next two; featured once, as a substitute against Honduras, during Spain's victorious 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign in South Africa.

• Won the first league title of his career when helping Real Madrid CF capture the 2011/12 Liga crown; ever present at right-back as Spain won UEFA EURO 2012.