A player of physical approach to the game (which earned him a reputation for being a dirty player), his nickname is Canario (canary), referring to his birthplace.[2][3] He spent most of his professional career in La Liga, making 135 appearances in six years in representation of four teams, but also played several seasons in Greece with PAOK.[4]
After just five Serie A appearances during the 2000–01 season, García was loaned to fellow top-division club Venezia in January 2002. In spite of their relegation, he had overall good performances.[5]
Spain
Moving to Osasuna for the 2002–03 campaign,[6] García played intense football throughout three seasons in Navarre. In his first match, a 2–2 La Liga draw at Villarreal on 1 September 2002, he collected a booking and scored the match's final goal.[7]
In the final of the 2005 Copa del Rey, García, already an essential midfield element for Osasuna, received a straight red card after a dangerous challenge on Real Betis' Joaquín, in an eventual 2–1 extra time loss.[8] However, he had already caught the eye of Real Madrid which signed the player to a three-year contract, with compatriot Carlos Diogo also being purchased.[9]
Having totalled 17 yellow (season-most) and one red cards during 2004–05 (the Cup final notwithstanding),[10] García made his Real Madrid official debut on 10 September 2005, playing 11 minutes in a 2–3 home defeat to Celta.[11] Eventually, he won the battle for the team's first-choice holding midfielder over Thomas Gravesen, although none were an undisputed starter.[12][13]
García helped Madrid to a runner-up place in the 2005–06 season, but was deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Fabio Capello and, on 29 August 2006, he agreed to a one-year loan at Celta.[14] After an uneventful personal campaign where he was injured for most of the year[15][16] and was also relegated, he returned to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in July 2007 to be loaned immediately again, this time to newly promoted Real Murcia.[17]
PAOK
Following another relegation, García was released by Real Madrid on 10 July 2008,[18] and joined PAOK later that month. He quickly became a fan favorite for his tenacity, being shown three red cards in his first six games and also starring in an incident with Olympiacos player Diogo; after being hit in the face by Diogo's elbow in a confrontation during a set piece, García retaliated with a punch to the Brazilian's abdomen; both actions, surprisingly, eluded the referee's attention, but the Uruguayan eventually received a three-match ban.[4]
García's second season was much better overall, as PAOK only conceded 16 goals in 30 matches, finishing second in the table, with him forming a stable midfield partnership with Spaniard Vitolo. On 21 February 2010, he scored in a 2–1 home win over against Panathinaikos, shortening the gap to that opposition to two points.[19] Additionally, he renewed his link until 2012, even agreeing to a reduction in his salary in line with the club's stagnant finances.[2]
On 23 May 2012, it was announced that the 35-year-old García renewed his contract for one more year.[20] On 20 March of the following year, he was released by mutual consent after falling out with coach Giorgos Donis.[21]
García scored a powerful finesse shot from outside the box against Venezuela in the 2007 Copa América quarter-finals,[31] but also missed a decisive penalty against Brazil in the next round.[32]
Coaching career
On 24 May 2015, García returned to PAOK in an unspecified position.[33] The following month, the club's sporting director Frank Arnesen announced that the former would start his managerial career as an assistant in the under-17 team.[34]
García was undefeated for 78 matches during his spell at the helm of the under-19 side, winning three national championships in the process.[35] On 30 October 2020, he was appointed coach of the main squad following the dismissal of Abel Ferreira,[36] taking them from sixth place to a final runner-up position 26 points behind champions Olympiacos.[37] The following 22 May, he won the domestic cup with a 2–1 victory against the same opposition in the final;[38] he was fired shortly after, however, being offered a position at the reserves.[39][40]
In summer 2023, García was appointed at Panserraikos also from the Greek top tier.[41] In the cup quarter-finals, they were eliminated by PAOK 9–0 on aggregate.[42]
On 11 May 2024, García announced he was leaving the club.[43] Later that month, he became the manager of Atromitos in the same league after signing a one-year contract.[44]