King Carles against Germany: A defining moment
Sad news.
The most visible face of El Roja Furia announced his retirement from international duty.
Carles Puyol will not play against Mexico in the August 11th fixture telling Vicente Del Bosque and Fernando Hierro that it would "mentally and physically exhausting" to combine national as well as Liga duty. Another 19 matches and he would have made a century of appearances.
Puyol has been heroic for Spain. What he gave up in speed, he made up for in gut busting endeavour.
The goal against Germany and then grappling with Arjen Robben with an arm draped around the Netherlands striker to save a goal. Two of the more iconic moments in this World Cup. He debuted for Spain in 2000 against the Netherlands (fitting that he should end with them too) and was capped 81 times.
He will be missed.
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