Clubs: Sevilla FC, SL Benfica (loan), Valencia CF, Villarreal CF

UEFA honours
UEFA European Championship: winner 2008
UEFA EURO 2008: Team of the Tournament
UEFA Cup: winner 2004
UEFA Super Cup: winner 2004

• An Andalusian by birth, Marchena started out with Sevilla, gaining promotion to the Liga in 1999 but suffering relegation a year later.

• Moved to Benfica, but a luckless season prompted a return to Spain, where he joined Valencia in a swap deal with Slovenian playmaker Zlatko Zahovič.

• Although he won the Spanish title with Valencia in his first season, he was a more established first-team player when the club won the Liga/UEFA Cup double under Rafael Benítez two years later; enjoyed a 1-0 win against Liverpool FC at Anfield on his first UEFA Champions League start.

• First capped by Spain in August 2002, he played for La Roja at UEFA EURO 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup prior to starring at UEFA EURO 2008 − five appearances − and featuring in UEFA's Team of the Tournament.

• Had only a few minutes of action in the 2010 World Cup but set an extraordinary record of going 57 international matches without defeat – a new world-best figure, overtaking Brazilian legend Garrincha (49) – until Spain lost 4-1 to Argentina in a September 2010 friendly, his only previous loss having come over seven years earlier in a UEFA EURO 2004 qualifier versus Greece (0-1).

• A Copa del Rey winner with Valencia in 2008, he left the club after nine years to join local rivals Villarreal in August 2010; scored on his Villarreal debut – in a UEFA Europa League play-off against FC Dnepr Mogilev (5-0).