As a defender, Carles Puyol remains somewhat in the shadow of the likes of Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o or Lionel Messi, but with his energy, stamina and focus, he remains a favorite at the Camp Nou and an essential member of the current line-up. -above. Considered one of the best defenders in the world, Carles Puyol is also the first Catalan captain to have held the Champions League Cup aloft after the team defeated Arsenal in May 2006, a competition in which he was awarded the Defender of the Year.

As the team’s captain since the 2003-2004 season after Phillip Cocu left Barcelona for PSV Eindhoven, Puyol’s stocky build with legs built like tree trunks and a distinctive head of curls belies his speed and agility on the pitch and once the shirt is removed, he reveals a ripped torso that is the product of many hours of hard training, impressively free of any sign of body fat.

In fact, Puyol’s dedication is such that he is opposed to being left out of a single-game selection, even for a break when the team is playing several games, it is a short period of time and it has been noticed that he goes to training. sessions in which you were specifically given a day off.

Born in La Pobla de Segur, which is in inland Catalonia, on April 13, 1978, Carles Puyol played for the local team as a child. He signed for FC Barcelona B in 1996 at the age of 17 and made his first-team debut in 1999 under Louis Van Gaal, when visiting Barcelona beat Valladolid 2-0.

Currently playing in the centre-back position, Puyol first played for Barcelona in the right-back position when he was promoted from the B team. His original position as a child was in goal, but when shoulder injuries prevented him from continuing, he started playing as a striker, which perhaps contributed to his attacking mentality nowadays. determination to stop the ball as a defender, but what is certain is that he would have played hard, perhaps contributing to his injuries.

Although he plays for the Spanish team, of which he has also been captain on occasion, Carles Puyol is a Barcelona fan through and through and it is difficult to imagine him playing for another club when his contract ends in 2010, whatever the offer on the table. . While Messi grew up at Barcelona – and there is no question about his current dedication to the club – it remains to be seen whether he can be drawn in, but players like Ronaldinho and Eto’o, however brilliant he may be, can only be considered laborers.