Puyol isn’t the fastest defender in the game, but his pace is more than sufficient for a central defender, especially when compared to other traditional-style CBs.

One of his strongest attributes is his sharp reaction time. Puyol is quick to step in and intercept passes, react to loose balls, and make last-ditch tackles.

This is Puyol's bread and butter. His tackling, marking, and ability to position himself are top-tier. He excels at standing tackles and slide tackles, and his Dives Into Tackles trait makes him especially effective in AI-controlled scenarios.

Puyol has great strength and aggression, allowing him to outmuscle attackers in 1v1 battles, he rarely gets bullied.

Traits:
Dives Into Tackles, improves his auto-blocking and defensive reach in AI situations, making him more effective even when you're not controlling him directly.
Power Header, makes him dangerous during set pieces and clears, he gets good height and power on headers, even if he’s not the tallest.

Unlike some defenders who start to feel sluggish late in matches, Puyol maintains high energy levels throughout the entire match.