Riqui Puig

Ricard "Riqui" Puig Martí (Catalan pronunciation: [riˈkaɾt ˈriki ˈputʃ]; born 13 August 1999) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Puig and the second or maternal family name is Martí.

Riqui Puig
Puig with Barcelona in 2021
Personal information
Full name Ricard Puig Martí[1]
Date of birth (1999-08-13) 13 August 1999[2]
Place of birth Matadepera, Spain
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 LA Galaxy
Number 6
Youth career
2008–2013 Jàbac Terrassa
2013–2018 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Barcelona B 56 (2)
2018–2022 Barcelona 42 (2)
2022– LA Galaxy 39 (10)
International career‡
2020–2021 Spain U21 4 (0)
2019– Catalonia 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:11, 22 September 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 March 2021

Club career

Barcelona

Born in Matadepera, Barcelona, Catalonia, Puig joined Barcelona's La Masia in 2013, from UFB Jàbac Terrassa.[4] After progressing through the youth setup, he made his senior debut with the reserves on 24 February 2018, coming on as a second-half substitute for Marcus McGuane in a 1–1 home draw against Gimnàstic Tarragona in the Segunda División championship.[5]

On 11 June 2018, Puig renewed his contract with Barça until 2021, and was promoted to the B-team in the Segunda División B.[6] He made his first team debut on 5 December, replacing fellow youth graduate Oriol Busquets in the 55th minute of a 4–1 home routing of Cultural Leonesa, in the season's Copa del Rey; he also assisted Denis Suárez, who scored Barcelona's fourth goal.[7]

Puig made his La Liga debut on 13 April 2019, starting and playing 67 minutes in a 0–0 draw against Huesca.[8] He scored his first goal for Barça B on 14 September, the second in a 2–2 home draw against AE Prat.[9]

On 6 October 2020, Puig was promoted to the first team, being handed the number 12 jersey which was previously worn by Rafinha.[10]

On 13 January 2021, Puig scored the winning penalty in the penalty shootout (Barcelona won 3–2) after being held at 1–1 at the end of extra time by Real Sociedad in the Supercopa de España semi-final.[11] On 24 January 2021, Puig scored his first goal for the first team in a 2–0 away win in La Liga against Elche, when he headed in Barcelona's second goal from a Frenkie de Jong assist.[12]

LA Galaxy

On 4 August 2022, Puig joined Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy on a free transfer and signed a 3.5-year contract with Targeted Allocation Money.[13][14] He made his debut on 19 August as a substitute against Seattle Sounders FC, contributing to a 3–3 draw.[14] Puig scored his first MLS goal—a strike from outside the box in the 89th minute—in a 2–2 draw with Toronto FC on 31 August.[15] He was positioned as a playmaker and averaged more than 75 passes per 90 minutes with a high rate of completion as the Galaxy lost only once in their final ten regular season matches.[16] The team qualified for the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, where they were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals.[17]

Style of play

A product of La Masia, he is known to be a player capable of directing the motion of the game through his great attacking prowess. He has drawn comparisons to Andrés Iniesta in the past, however has struggled for playing time.[18]

Personal life

Riqui Puig's father, Carlos, was also a footballer. A left-back, he spent his entire career representing Terrassa.[4]

Career statistics
As of match played 22 September 2023[19][20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barcelona B 2017–18 Segunda División 30———30
2018–19 Segunda División B 320———320
2019–20 212———212
Total 562———562
Barcelona 2018–19 La Liga 2010000030
2019–20 110400000150
2020–21 141404[lower-alpha 2]02[lower-alpha 3]0241
2021–22 151102[lower-alpha 4]000181
Total 4221006020602
LA Galaxy 2022 MLS 10300—2[lower-alpha 5]0123
2023 29731—2[lower-alpha 6]1349
Total 391031—414612
Career total 13714131606116216
  1. Includes Copa del Rey and U.S. Open Cup
  2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. Appearances in Supercopa de España
  4. One appearance in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  5. Appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs
  6. Appearances in Leagues Cup

Honours

Barcelona Youth

Barcelona

Individual

References
  1. "Acta del Partido celebrado el 12 de mayo de 2019, en Barcelona" [Minutes of the Match held on 12 May 2019, in Barcelona] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  2. "Riqui Puig". La Liga. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  3. "Riqui Puig". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  4. "Riqui Puig, otro pequeño 'jugón'" [Riqui Puig, another little 'baller'] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  5. "Debut muy prometedor de Riqui Puig con el Barça B" [Very promising debut of Riqui Puig with Barça B] (in Spanish). Sport. 24 February 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  6. "Riqui Puig given professional contract and €100m release clause by Barcelona". Marca. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  7. "Riqui Puig makes official debut". FC Barcelona. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  8. "Reserve-heavy Barcelona held at Huesca". Marca. 13 April 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  9. "Barça B 2 Prat 2: Cruel end to a great performance". FC Barcelona. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  10. "Riqui Puig y Araujo ya son jugadores del primer equipo" [Riqui Puig are already first team players] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  11. Clark, Gill (14 January 2021). "Riqui Puig says he was 'desperate' to take Barcelona penalty". Barca Blaugranes. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  12. "'It's been a difficult year for me, I needed this goal': Riqui Puig opens up on debut Barca strike". Tribuna. 24 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  13. "LA Galaxy sign Riqui Puig from Barcelona on free transfer". ESPN. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  14. Baxter, Kevin (19 August 2022). "In Riqui Puig's debut with Galaxy, they escape with a tie against Sounders". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  15. "Riqui Puig's late goal helps Galaxy earn tie in Toronto". Los Angeles Daily News. 31 August 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  16. Baxter, Kevin (14 October 2022). "Riqui Puig and Gastón Brugman are the force behind the Galaxy's rejuvenation". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  17. Baxter, Kevin (1 November 2022). "Galaxy upbeat knowing most starters will return, including Riqui Puig and 'Chicharito'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  18. Segura, Alejandro (6 December 2018). "Riqui Puig is a 'small madman' who walks freely at the Camp Nou". Marca. Translated by Gillingham, Geoff. Barcelona. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  19. Riqui Puig at Soccerway
  20. "Riqui Puig » Club matches". WorldFootball.Net. World Football. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  21. "Chelsea 0–3 Barcelona". UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  22. "Riqui Puig, Ricard Puig Martí - Footballer". www.bdfutbol.com. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  23. "2023 MLS All-Star Team Roster". Major League Soccer. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
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