Former Spain and Barcelona captain Carles Puyol visited refugee camps in Thessaloniki where he talked soccer and posed for photos with refugees on Sunday.
The soccer legend was accompanied by Spain’s La Liga president Javier Tebas and Greek Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas in an event for refugees called “Football Family Day” event, organized by the Spanish first division in soccer, Greece’s Migration Policy Ministry and NGOs.
“Today we have 1,000 refugee and migrant children playing soccer with Greek children and Spanish players like Mr. Puyol to show that sports unite people. This is Europe’s friendly face,” Mouzalas told reporters.
Puyol posed with refugees for selfies and discussed soccer with many of them. Later in the evening, on two giant screens set at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair grounds, along with about 1,000 refugees, the former soccer player watched Spain’s El Clasico, where his former team was playing against arch rivals Real Madrid.
The former captain had predicted that his club will do well in the match, and, indeed, Barcelona triumphed at Real Madrid’s home leaving with a 3-2 win, catching their rivals at the top of La Liga.
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