Carles Puyol

Football player infobox


playername = Carles Puyol
fullname = Carles Puyol i Saforcada
nickname = Lionheart, Tarzán, Capità,
Puyi, Cor de Lleó,
Superman
height = height|meter=1.78
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|4|13
cityofbirth = La Pobla de Segur, Lleida
countryofbirth = Spain
youthyears = 1995–1996
1996-1997
youthclubs = FC Barcelona Juvenil A
FC Barcelona C
currentclub = FC Barcelona
clubnumber = 5
position = Centre back/Right Back
years = 1997–1999
1999–
clubs = FC Barcelona B
FC Barcelona
caps(goals) = 083 (4)
275 (4)
nationalyears = 2000-
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) = 69 (1)
pcupdate = 21:35, 29 June 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 20 August 2008 (UTC)

Carles Puyol (born in April 13, 1978 in La Pobla de Segur, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain) is a Spanish footballer who is the current team captain of Barcelona. He is a regular in the Spanish national team and has also played friendly matches for the team of Catalonia.

Puyol played for Spanish national team at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup and the Euro 2008. He has been capped 66 times. He holds the record for number of caps for Spain national football team as a Catalan player, after breaking Sergi Barjuán's record of 56 caps on 17 October 2007.Fact|date=December 2007

Biography

Puyol started playing football in his hometown club, La Pobla de Segur, as a striker after injury problems with his shoulders forced him from his original position of Defender He went to FC Barcelona B at age 17 in 1996, and in 1999 coach Louis van Gaal promoted him to the first team. His debut occurred on October 2 1999 against Real Valladolid, a game Barcelona won 2-0. He started in the right-back position, but has since been converted to a central defender. He was awarded "Best European right-back" award by UEFA in 2002.

Puyol was first chosen as the captain of FC Barcelona at the end of 2003-04 season and has also been called upon to captain the Spanish national team.

On September 16, 2008, Puyol made his 400th appearance in all competitions for the Barcelona first team in a Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon. His appearances were made in La Liga (273), the Copa del Rey (30), the Champions League (81), the UEFA Cup (9), the Spanish Super Cup (4), the FIFA Club World Cup (2), and the UEFA Super Cup (1). [ [http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/noticies/futbol/temporada08-09/09/n080916105269.html The captain makes it to 400 games] "fcbarcelona.cat"]

All-time club statistics

As of September 07, 2007 [ [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/stats?id=12905&cc=5901 Soccernet player statistics] ] [ [http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=561&b=true&pn=Carles_Puyol_i_Saforcada Football database player statistics] ]

Honours

;FC Barcelona:
*2006-07: Spanish Super Cup
*2005-06: UEFA Champions League
*2005-06: La Liga
*2005-06: Spanish Super Cup
*2004-05: La Liga

;Spain:
*Olympic Games Silver Medal: 2000
*UEFA European Football Championship: 2008

Personal
*UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2005, 2006
*UEFA Club Best Defender: 2006
*FIFPro World XI: 2007
*UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament [ cite web
title = Spain dominate Team of the Tournament | url = http://en.euro2008.uefa.com/news/kind=1/newsid=729372.html#spain+dominate+team+tournament | publisher = UEFA.com| date = 2008-06-30 | accessdate = 2008-06-30 ]

References

External links

*FIFA player|177914
* [http://www.fcbarcelona.cat/web/english/futbol/temporada_07-08/plantilla/jugadors/puyol.html FC Barcelona profile]
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=561&b=true&pn=Carles_Puyol_i_Saforcada FootballDatabase career profile and statistics]
* [http://www.fcbarcelonaweb.co.uk/v3/squads/profile.html?plid=11 Carles Puyol on FCBarcelonaweb.co.uk]
* [http://www.unitedathletes.com/english/interviews/puyol.html United Athletes Magazine] Interview with Puyol on intensity and determination.