Profile Carles Puyol

Personal information

Full name : Carles Puyol i Saforcada

Date of birth : 13 April 1978

Place of birth : La Pobla de Segur, Spain

Height : 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)

Playing position : Defender

Current club : Barcelona

Number : 5

Youth career :

1993–1995 Pobla de Segur

1995–1997 Barcelona

Senior career :

1997–2000 Barcelona B

1999– Barcelona

National team‡

1995 Spain U18

2000 Spain U21

2000 Spain U23

2000– Spain

2001– Catalonia

Club career

Early years

Born in La Pobla de Segur, Lleida, Catalonia, Puyol began playing football for his hometown club, as a goalkeeper. However, afterwards injury troubles with his shoulder, he switched to striker. Puyol has said that in his youth, "My parents were skeptical approximate me becoming a footballer and promoted me to study." In 1995, he stringed FC Barcelona's youth system at La Masia, switching locations again, to play as a defensive midfielder. In 1997, Puyol stepped upward to play for the club's B-team, occupying the location of right back.

1999-2008

In 1999, then-coach Louis van Gaal promoted Puyol to the first team. He prepared his first division debut on two October 1999, at Real Valladolid, in a 2–0 win. After that, he successfully prepared another conversion, now to interior defender. During the 2003 off-season, as Barcelona was immersed in a commercial emergency, Manchester United illustrated hobby in incurring Puyol's services, but no shift ever materialized; pair years subsequent, the actor prolonged his contract for a further five seasons. Puyol was dubbed club captain at the end of the 2003–04 season, afterwards the retirement of Luis Enrique.He lasted to be a defensive basis for Barça, being awarded the "Best European right back" award via UEFA in 2002 and "Best European core back" in 2005, 2006 and 2008, as well as receiving the "UEFA Club Best Defender" trophy in 2006. Puyol facilitated the Catalans win an grand pair consecutive league names in the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons. In 2005-2006, Puyol facilitated Barça win its second Champions League name, 14 years afterwards the first.

2008-present

On 16 September 2008, Puyol prepared his 400th arrival in all contests for Barça's first team in the Champions League suit against Sporting Clube de Portugal. In the league season, the Barça captain dealt with several injury troubles, but motionless contributed to the team via emerging in 28 suits and facilitated to win another league name, his merely target emanating in El Clásico at Real Madrid on two May 2009, which done with a resounding 6–2 away win;[6] from 2008–10 blended, rather than the pair league names, he was necessary in conquering the 2009 UEFA Super Cup, the 2009 Champions League and the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup, emerging in almost 100 official matches. Puyol describes Barça as "the team whoever every Catalan kid hopes to play for... I am alive the vision playing football for Barça and it is my vision to retire playing here." On the 29th of November 2010 he played in the 5-0 win across arch rivals Real Madrid, in which he was pressed in the face via fellow Spanish global Sergio Ramos, afterwards which Ramos was sent off for a red card.

International career

Puyol won his first Spanish cap on 15 November 2000 against the Netherlands, and waited a regular fixture ever since. He played for the nation at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup, Euro 2008, 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup. At Euro 2008, Puyol began during the vast majority of the competition, as the defensive backline merely granted pair targets in five sport, with an eventual final win against Germany. He was dubbed in the Team of the Tournament alongside defensive ally Carlos Marchena, of Villareal CF. Puyol began three out of five sport at the 2009 Confederations Cup, and captained the team as shortly as Iker Casillas was rested for the final team degree match. As Spain done third, he and four other teammates were dubbed in the Team of the Tournament. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Puyol began every suit and played nearly every tiny (he was substituted via Carlos Marchena in the 84th tiny in the quarter final against Paraguay). He scored the merely target in the semifinal against Germany with a potent header from a corner removed via Barcelona teammate Xavi, sending the national team through to their first World Cup final, and scoring his third global target in 89 matches. In the final, he played the full 120 minutes, as Spain defeated the Netherlands 1–0. On 1 August 2010, Puyol broadcast that he would extend to play for the national team for at least another pair years.