Both defenders coincided in the central defense of FC Barcelona and the Spain national team, where they achieved several titles
GUATEMALA --- Carles Puyol is remembered for his extensive career with FC Barcelona and the Spain national team, winning multiple titles that placed him among the best central defenders in world football. He played more than 500 matches with the blaugrana jersey and 100 games with 'La Roja'.
Now, as a former footballer, he seeks to inspire new generations to pursue their sports careers. In Guatemala, he was no exception and shared a training session with children who dream of becoming professional footballers.
During the talk he gave to Guatemalan fans, Puyol confessed the friendship he managed to establish with Gerard Piqué and how they were able to take it beyond the football field and matches.
"I have been lucky to have played with the best, many of them from our own ranks (FC Barcelona), and that is very important because the FC Barcelona youth academy does great work. So they are not just teammates, they are friends. We all fight for the same dream, and the fact that so many people from our own ranks reach the first team gave us a very strong force, and thanks to that, we were able to achieve many titles," were Puyol's first impressions when asked about his best teammate.
"If I have to choose a teammate, Luis Enrique was key in my early years, but then the one I spent the most time with was Gerard Piqué. We understood each other very well. I already had a more consolidated position as a center-back because I also enjoyed playing with Rafa Márquez. With Gerard Piqué, we won many titles and had a great time. We won everything with FC Barcelona and the Spain national team. He is a very good friend. We have very different characters and personalities, but we get along very well and we used to talk to get to know each other very well," Puyol added.
Carles Puyol and Gerard Piqué coincided from 2008 to 2014 with FC Barcelona. They won multiple trophies in La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. With the Spain national team, they coincided in the third place in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and the 2012 UEFA European Championship.
Another confession he made in Guatemala was about the work of coach Luis Aragonés, who left a mark on the history of the Spain national team. "Luis Aragonés (R.I.P) was the most important person who changed the history of Spanish football. He made us believe that we could be champions, and without 2008, 2010 would not have happened. We have to acknowledge the work that Luis did. He transmitted to us passion, desire, and indicated that we had to fight, that we had to believe. The 2008 European Championship was a before and after for me."
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— ESPN Guatemala (@ESPN_GT) July 16, 2023