Clubs: Real Madrid CF, CA Osasuna, Real Madrid CF, SL Benfica

UEFA honours
UEFA European Under-19 Championship: winner 2006

• A graduate of the Madrid academy, Javi García made his Liga debut at the age of 17 on 28 November 2004 but spent most of the next three seasons representing the club's B team in the Segunda División.

• A Spanish youth international, he won the European U19 title in Poland in July 2006, defeating Scotland 2-1 in the final.

• Left Madrid for Osasuna in late August 2007 and made 25 Liga appearances for the Pamplona club before the Merengues exercised a buy-back option and re-signed him for 2008/09 campaign, during which he seldom made it off the substitutes' bench under either Bernd Schuster or his mid-term replacement, Juande Ramos.

• Joined Benfica on a five-year contract in July 2009 and claimed a regular spot as a midfield anchor in Jorge Jesus's side, making 26 starts and scoring three goals in the Eagles' Portuguese Liga title triumph.

• Scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in a 4-3 home win against Olympique Lyonnais on 2 November 2010 and was ever-present in midfield during the group stage.