Carles Puyol is an embodiment of the saying – ‘you can take the man out of the game, but you cannot take the game out of the man.
The Spanish international enjoyed an illustrious career for the Spanish national team and Barcelona – where he played his entire career.
To date, the full-back is regarded as a player with one of the strongest mentalities ever to grace the game.
Recently, Carles Puyol shared photos showing severe bleeding from injuries he sustained while playing padel. The injuries further go to prove that he hasn’t lost touch with the mentality he showed in his 593 appearances during 15 seasons for Barcelona.
Sharing the photos with the caption – “One day will I learn to relax?” Puyol revealed that he sustained the injuries after he smashed through a glass wall in a bid to return a ball during a game of padel.
Padel is a famous fast-paced sport inagainst the that is popular among football players. It is a combination of both squash and tennis.
Interesting, he was playing the game against his wife Vanessa Lorenzo – and still didn’t want to lose!
The photo of Carles Puyol covered in blood attracted many reactions, with past and current players attesting to his strong mentality on and off the pitch.
Among the comments was Portugal’s great Luis Figo, who said, “you are very strong.” Other ex-internationals aimed cheeky digs at his no-nonsense playing attitude.
Carles Puyol Football Career and Stats
Carles Puyol played his entire club career for his boyhood club – Barcelona.
He made a total of 593 appearances and lifted six Laliga titles, two Copa del Reys, and three UEFA Champions League trophies.
The Centre-Back also won two Club World Cups and eight Spanish Super Cup titles. This places him on the list of most decorated players to ever play the round leather game.
He replicated his success with the Spanish national team and won the World Cup in 2010. The World Cup trophy was a follow-up on their success in 2008 when they were crowned the European Champions.
After his debut for Spain on November 15, 2000, against a strong Netherlands team, Puyol retained a spot in the starting eleven.
He featured in the 2000 Olympics, 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup, up until the 2010 World Cup as a regular.
After his retirement in 2014, he had a brief stint with the Barcelona team as an Executive Assistant between September 15, 2014, and January 5, 2015.
Carles Puyol Net Worth
According to Forbes, Puyol’s current net worth is in excess of $40 million.
He currently lives with his wife since 2012, Vanessa Lorenzo. They have two daughters, Manuela and Maria.
