Carles Puyol

Carles Puyol Saforcada, born on 13 April 1978, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played his entire career for Barcelona. He is considered one of the best defenders ever and one of the sport's greatest captains. He played mainly as a centre-back but could also fill in at either full-back position, most often at right-back. Teammates and supporters nicknamed him El Tiburon, the Shark, for his defensive qualities and leadership. He captained Barcelona from August 2004 until he retired in 2014 and appeared in 593 competitive matches for the club, winning 18 major titles including six La Liga trophies and three Champions Leagues. For Spain he earned 100 caps and was part of the squads that won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, scoring the only goal of the 2010 World Cup semi-final against Germany.