#1 Versatility and Ability to Adapt
The former Barcelona captain and forever legend was not always a strong and hearty center-back. In his youth days, the player used to play as a goalkeeper for his hometown side. From what it is heard, he was a fantastic keeper as well, however, he was forced to change his position after he developed back problems from playing as a keeper. He changed his position drastically and became a striker. Yes, that is correct, he went straight from being a goalkeeper to a striker. When he signed for La Masia in 1995, he was originally started as a right-winger but was then shifted to a deeper role in the midfield.
His true talent and abilities were uncovered while he was playing in those deeper defensive roles and he started playing as a right-back in the Barca B team. He was later changed into a center-back by Louis van Gaal however, he had the potential of being able to play anywhere on the field. Carles Puyol had a deep love for football and he was ready to adapt to the needs of the team, that’s why he was named the best right-back by UEFA in 2002.