Football: Puyol not retiring soon

BARCELONA: Spain captain Carles Puyol said that the impending knee surgery may rule him out of the Euro 2012 but he is not ready to end his international career. “It would be very difficult for me to join the Euro squad,” said Puyol. “It would be unfair to take a player who is not 100%.” Meanwhile, Puyol, who has 99 caps for Spain, was not ready to end his playing days with the national squad.”My plan is to carry on for many more years. But you have to take it season by season. We will see how I am at the start of the next season. But I am convinced I will come back fine, perfectly fit.” Puyol could not say whether the Euro 2008 campaign was his last in the competition. “I don’t know if it was my last European Championship. But I want to retire on the field and not in the operating room.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2012.