Clubs: Liverpool FC (Montevideo), FC Porto

• Born in the Uruguayan capital, he played for Liverpool for three seasons before achieving his breakthrough in 2006; made his international debut in a friendly against Romania (2-0) shortly before departing, on loan, to Porto.

• Made 18 league starts, scoring one goal, as Porto won the 2006/07 Liga; signed a permanent five-year contract with the club at the end of the campaign.

• Added another 38 league appearances over the next two seasons as Porto won two further league titles.

• Also appeared regularly in the UEFA Champions League and in the final of the 2009 Portuguese Cup, which Porto won 1-0 against FC Paços deFerreira, and the 2010 League Cup final loss to SL Benfica (0-3).

• A fixture in Uruguay's 2007 Copa América team, he was in and out of the side during 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying, appearing in nine of the 18 matches; a fixture at the finals, however, with five outings as the Celeste finished fourth.

• Was ruled out of the remainder of the 2010/11 season after he broke his left collarbone in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg against FC Spartak Moskva.