Hi Carles. Hi Small Talk.

We’re talking to you because of yoghurt, why don’t you tell us a bit about that? I am very proud to be an ambassador for the Danone Nations Cup, one of the best tournaments out there for U12s to play football. It takes place at a local level in 27 countries and the final will be played in Barcelona in October.

That sounds extremely wholesome. You’re a big foodie, what would you eat as a player? I’ve always given a lot of importance to food. I have to eat more to keep my tank full. What I would eat would depend on the scale of the game but on the day of the match isn’t actually as important as eating well long-term. I ate a lot of carbs and protein, specifically white meat.

Delicious. If you were to invite three dinner guests, alive or dead, who would they be? Michael Jordan, my father [Josep, who died in 2006 after a farming accident] and my best friend that passed away two years ago.

You lost your father at the height of your career with Barcelona. That must have been very hard to deal with. It was a very difficult time. It was an accident and one I didn’t see coming. That said, football really helped me to move forward and heal over time. Football was my cure and my support.

What was it like growing up with your parents in Catalonia? I came from a hard-working, working-class background and had a very happy childhood. I grew up in La Pobla de Segur, which is a small town in the Pyrenees in northern Catalonia. I remember going to school and playing on the pitch opposite. When I moved to Barcelona as a teenager it was a huge change. However, the two years I spent at La Masia were two of my best years. It was a bit like scouts, with 40 boys sharing four rooms. Each one was trying to make their dreams come true.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A picture collage hanging inside La Masia shows Barcelona youth players from the 1996-97 season. Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

Small Talk [adopting smug research voice] has read that you very nearly didn’t make it at Barcelona and that you were close to joining Málaga in 1998? It was an uncertain time for me. I had a key dream to play in the first team so I decided to stay in the Barcelona second team, to see if I could make it. At the time the press covered it as me wanting to leave but that wasn’t the case. I’m glad that I stuck it out.

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Yeah, things seemed to work out for you with that one. You were a pivotal part of the Spain side that won Euro 2008 and the World Cup in 2010. Did you watch much of the Women’s World Cup? The Women’s World Cup was really booming and I’m happy to see the growth of importance in the media for it. I wouldn’t feel at ease choosing one player – for me the most important thing is to see the positive impact the players are having on young girls and beyond.

What did you make of USA’s 13-0 win over Thailand? I saw the result. I understand the importance of scoring and winning but when celebrating goals you need to control yourself. You should always respect the opposition. After the fifth or sixth goal, you should tone it down. I see fair play as a manner of both understanding sport and being human. I am naturally competitive and I want to win but I also believe in compassion. Against Rayo Vallecano, I broke up a celebration when we were winning 5-0. We wanted to enjoy the goals but not destroy the other team’s self-esteem. I also once invited Ronaldinho to appear in Barcelona’s team photo before we played AC Milan because I wanted to show the importance of self-respect. He was a great player for us and I wanted the game to be played in a positive manner.

What would you have been if you weren’t a footballer? I’m not sure. It would have to be something in sport. Maybe a coach?

OK! Small Talk has also read that you like the British extreme death metal band Napalm Death, a Birmingham band that describe themselves as having “an enduring impact on the world of sonic savagery.” It’s not true. I have no idea where that rumour came from. I don’t even know who they are!

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Despite the internet rumours, Puyol is not a fan of Napalm Death. Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian

Consider your Wikipedia page updated, Carles. Thanks Small Talk.