CHENNAI: He has won the World Cup, the Euro Cup and is one of the most capped defenders the Spanish national team has produced. And in a few months, he will be wowing crowds in India!
In what may be the Indian Super League’s highest profile signing yet, Spain’s World Cup winner Joan Capdevila has reached an agreement to play in IMG-Reliance’s IPL-style football tournament which begins in September. The Spaniard, who accumulated 60 caps for his national side, represented the likes of Atletico Madrid, Villarreal, Deportivo La Coruna and Benfica, and played in the La Liga last season in Espanyol colours. He is likely to play for actor John Abraham’s Guwahati-based franchise North East United.
While the 36-year-old left back has an impressive record at the club level, winning the Copa del Rey with Deportivo and finishing runner-up in the La Liga with Villarreal, football fans would no doubt know him more for his exploits on the international stage. Capdevila formed a solid backline for Spain in Euro 2008, along with Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol and Carlos Marchena, appearing in all but one of his team’s matches, as La Roja romped to the title.
His contribution to Spain’s World Cup winning campaign in 2010 was even more impressive as Capdevila played every minute of the tournament.
He was the only member of Vicente del Bosque’s starting XI in the final against the Netherlands who did not play for either Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Capdevila will likely play with former England keeper David James, who has also been linked with North East United, and will face off against his former Spain teammate Luis Garcia, who has signed up for Atletico de Madrid Kolkata.