A fringe player for Spain at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Javi Martínez captained his country to victory at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Denmark a year later. A smooth operator in midfield, or latterly in the centre of defence, he is a much treasured asset in Bilbao, where he has represented Athletic Club for the past six years.

• Born in Estella, close to Pamplona, he started out with local club CA Osasuna but was scouted at an early age by Athletic before he had a chance to play for their first team.

• An immediate success at the Estadio San Mamés, he made 35 Liga appearances in his debut campaign, aged just 18, and scored a memorable double in a 2-0 win at RC Deportivo La Coruña.

• Continued to blossom over the next few campaigns as Athletic's central midfield conduit and helped the club into the 2009 Copa del Rey final − a 4-1 defeat by FC Barcelona − after which he made his European debut in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League.

• Played for Spain at the 2009 UEFA European U21 Championship in Sweden and made his senior debut a year later, in an Innsbruck friendly against Saudi Arabia, before earning a surprise call-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where he made one brief substitute appearance.

• Promoted to U21 skipper for the 2011 finals in Denmark, he led Spain to victory, starting all five matches; made two appearances in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying − away to Lithuania and the Czech Republic − and by the end of 2011 he had yet to play a senior international on home soil.

UEFA honours
UEFA European Under-21 Championship: winner 2011
UEFA European Under-19 Championship: winner 2007