Photo via El País
After several weeks of negotiation, Barcelona has signed Jordi Alba on a five-year contract. Alba played for the Barcelona youth team, but was dropped at the age of 16 because he was too short. For Barcelona. At 1.70 m (5’7″), Alba is the same height as current Barça stars Pedro, Alexis, Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi. (To be fair, defenders are usually expected to be taller.) Anyway, Alba’s performances with Valencia and the national team (he has been excellent in the Euro Cup) impressed Barcelona enough that they’re willing to spend €14 million to bring him back.
