Carles Puyol Becomes Players' Agent
Carles Puyol has launched a new career as a players' agent, targeting promising La Liga-based defenders as his first clients.
The former Barcelona captain retired at the end of the 2013-14 season, having won three Champions Leagues and six La Liga titles during 15 seasons as a Barca player.
He took up a job as assistant to then-Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta, but resigned in protest when his long-term friend and colleague was fired by president Josep Maria Bartomeu in January 2015.
Puyol has joined up with former Barca and Real Madrid midfielder Ivan de la Pena and legal expert Ramon Sostres to start a new type of players' agency.
He will draw on his own experience as a player to guide emerging stars through difficult moments in their careers.
Puyol said in an interview with El Pais that he had created a business to represent players with Ivan de la Pena and Ramon Sostres.
The El Pais interview did not mention any players who have or will sign up with Puyol's new agency, but Mundo Deportivo has claimed that young centre-backs Marc Bartra of Barcelona and Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao are close to joining.
Puyol's new agency will focus on representing La Liga-based defenders, with Ivan de la Pena using his knowledge of the game to discover new talents.
Ramon Sostres will take charge of the legal, contractual and tax part of the business.
Puyol wants to be a 'life-coach' who helps players to think, to make decisions, to manage their emotions with intelligence in difficult situations.
He does not want to be an invisible coach, but rather provide guidelines to solve problems.
Puyol had to work a lot to succeed as a player, considering he did not play at Barca until he was 17.
He did not have the information that kids have today, and he wants to use his experience to make players more professional.
Puyol's experience as a player will be valuable in his new role as a players' agent.
He won the Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup trophies with Spain during his playing career.
Puyol's new career as a players' agent is an exciting development for the football world.