Six years of Gimenez at Atletico Madrid LaLiga Joined in 2013

July 24, 2013 saw an 18-year-old defender arrive at the Estadio Vicente Calderon and in the six years since, Jose Gimenez has gone on to establish himself under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid.

To get the deal done, the Uruguayan cut his holidays short, not that he minded too much.

"In order to come to this club I didn't mind not having holidays," Gimenez said during his presentation.

"Being at Atletico is a dream."

Since then, he's played 164 times for the club, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists, but that's really not his job. He's helped the Rojiblancos to four titles: LaLiga Santander, a Supercopa de Espana, a European Super Cup and a Europa League.

Twenty-seven of his games have come in the Champions League, wherein he's scored twice, seven in the Europa League, one in the European Super Cup, 109 in LaLiga Santander and 20 in the Copa del Rey.

Debut season

It was in his debut year at the club that Atletico won the LaLiga Santander title for the first time since 1995/96, clinching it with a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou on the final day.

Of the 24 players Simeone had in that squad, Gimenez is one of the three who still remain at the club - the others being Koke and Diego Costa - and he's gone on to become a pivotal player at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano.

Ahead of 2019/20 he's been given a new number, inheriting his departed compatriot's No.2, following in Diego Godin's footsteps and at 24, there's hope that he'll be a pillar of the side for some time yet.