New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- Pablo Garcia left Real Betis on Tuesday night the same way he had arrived 14 years earlier: with his family beside him. This time they were in tears. The 20-year-old forward had just completed a deadline-day transfer to Racing Santander, bringing an abrupt end to a life spent in green and white.

Garcia was born in Seville and joined the Betis academy at six. He rose through every age group and later scored four times for Spain's Under-19s in a single European Championship match against Germany. What he could not secure was a regular place in Manuel Pellegrini's senior side.

Last season, Pablo Garcia made 25 appearances, most of them from the bench. His only two goals came in a 7-1 Copa del Rey win over semi-profess...