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Carles Puyol
Personal information
Full name	Carles Puyol Saforcada
Date of birth	April 13, 1978 (age 28)
Place of birth	La Pobla de Segur, Catalonia, Spain
Height	5 ft 10 in(178 cm)
Nickname	Lionheart, Tarzan, Capità, Puyi, Cor de Lleó, Superman
Playing position	Centre Back
Club information
Current club	FC Barcelona
Youth clubs
1996-99	FC Barcelona B
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1999-	FC Barcelona	230 (4)
National team2
2000-	Spain	054 (1)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of Summer 2006. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of November 15, 2006. * Appearances (Goals)

Carles Puyol Saforcada (born April 13, 1978 in La Pobla de Segur, Catalonia, Spain) is a Spanish football player who is the current team captain of FC Barcelona. He is a regular in the Spanish national team.

Puyol played for Spain at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup; Puyol has been capped over 60 times. He has also played for the Catalan XI in one friendly.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Playing style 3 Medals and trophies 4 Profile 5 Trivia 6 References 7 External links

He went to FC Barcelona B at age 17 in 1996 and in 1999 Coach Louis van Gaal put him into the first team and his debut came on October 2, 1999 against Valladolid, a game FC Barcelona won 0-2. He started as a regular for Barcelona in the right back position but has since converted to center-back.

He was first chosen as the captain for Barcelona in the 2003-04 season. In the absence of Raúl due to injury, Puyol has also been called upon to captain the Spanish national team.

May 17, 2006: Barcelona, with Puyol as captain, won the UEFA Champions League, defeating Arsenal FC 2-1 in the final and became the first Catalan captain to raise the UEFA Champions League Trophy.

He was awarded "Best Right-Back in Europe" by UEFA in 2002. He is currently under contract with Barcelona FC till June 30, 2010.

Puyol was awarded the title of UEFA Champions League Defender of the Year 2005-06 on Thursday 24th August 2006.

Puyol is a tough, aggressive defender who has the versatility to play both as a full-back and in the centre. His holistic approach makes him a favourite at his club side, Barcelona. Puyol is a vital member of Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard's team, and his tactical ability and know-how also means he is not a man to pick up many yellow cards or, indeed, injuries, both of which factors have meant that he is an ever present in both Europe and domestic competition. His attacking mentality is a result of him playing as a striker in the early years in his boyhood club La Pobla de Segur, after injury problems with his shoulders forced him from his original position of goalkeeper.

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Spain
Men's Football
Silver	2000 Sydney	Team Competition

FC Barcelona

• 2006-07 : Spanish Supercup
• 2005-06 : Champions League
• 2005-06 : La Liga
• 2005-06 : Spanish Supercup
• 2004-05 : La Liga

Spain

• 2000 : Silver medal at Sydney Olympic Games

Puyol rose up through the ranks at Barcelona to become the defensive leader and crowd favourite at the Camp Nou. Barca’s captain saw his childhood dream come true in 2005 when he led his side to the domestic league title. At international level, he first made a name for himself at the 2000 Olympic Games, where Spain won a silver medal. Puyol was a regular at the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ and UEFA Euro 2004, and he was Spain’s most used defender in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

• A player named "Carles Pujol" was one of the eleven sportsmen who gathered in the Solé Gym office with Joan Gamper to discuss the founding of FC Barcelona on November 29, 1899.^[1]

• Puyol's dad Josep Puyol, 56, died on 3rd November 2006 after becoming trapped under a mechanical digger whilst repairing a road in Lleida.

• Following the retirement of Luis Enrique and the departure of old guards such as Phillip Cocu, Puyol was chosen as captain through a voting scheme that involved both players and staff alike. Ronaldinho and Xavi - who finished behind him - were rewarded as vice-captains.

• Is a member of the fundacion Altarriba a Spanish animal protection group that cares for abandoned animals

• FC Barcelona profile
• FootballDatabase career profile and statistics
• Puyol Fansite
• Puyol at FC Barcelona English Speaking Supporters Fansite
• United Athletes Magazine Interview with Puyol on intensity and determination.

Preceded by John Terry

UEFA Champions League Best Defender 2005-06

Succeeded by current holder

	Spain squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup Quarter-finalists
1 Casillas | 2 Torres | 3 Juanfran | 4 Helguera | 5 Puyol | 6 Hierro | 7 Raúl | 8 Baraja | 9 Morientes | 10 Tristán | 11 de Pedro | 12 Luque | 13 Ricardo | 14 Albelda | 15 Romero | 16 Mendieta | 17 Valerón | 18 Sergio | 19 Xavi | 20 Nadal | 21 Luis Enrique | 22 Joaquín | 23 Contreras | Coach: Camacho

	Spain squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup
1 Casillas | 2 Salgado | 3 Pernía | 4 Marchena | 5 Puyol | 6 Albelda | 7 Raúl | 8 Xavi | 9 Torres | 10 Reyes | 11 García | 12 López | 13 Iniesta | 14 Alonso | 15 Ramos | 16 Senna | 17 Joaquín | 18 Fàbregas | 19 Cañizares | 20 Juanito | 21 Villa | 22 Pablo | 23 Reina | Coach: Aragonés

FC Barcelona - Current Squad
1 Valdés | 2 Belletti | 3 Motta | 4 Márquez | 5 Puyol | 6 Xavi | 7 Guðjohnsen | 8 Giuly | 9 Eto'o | 10 Ronaldinho | 11 Zambrotta | 12 van Bronckhorst | 15 Edmílson | 16 Sylvinho | 18 Ezquerro | 19 Messi | 20 Deco | 21 Thuram | 22 Saviola | 23 Oleguer | 24 Iniesta | 25 Jorquera | 26 Jesús | 31 dos Santos | Coach: Rijkaard