Carles Puyol on possibly coming out of retirement: 'I am not ruling anything out'

Carles Puyol isn't willing to commit to anything just yet, but it continues to sound like the iconic Spanish defender could very well make the decision to come out of retirement.

Puyol, 37, hung up his boots at the end of last season, citing persistent knee issues as his reason for walking away. But after a brief stint in the Barcelona front office, the curly-haired legend has been linked with a return to the pitch - with Major League Soccer and the Middle East being rumored as possible destinations.

In a recent interview with Mundo Deportivo, Puyol discussed his future plans, keeping his cards close to the vest, but noting that his knee problems - which are thought to be the major obstacle standing in the way of a potential return - are a thing of the past.

"At the moment I just want to get a good feeling back in my knee," Puyol said. "A few months ago I could not go down the stairs, and now I am better all the time. I am not ruling anything out. At present, I only run after my daughter Manuela ... and it is true that I would like to coach."

Better all the time, but good enough to run with some of the world's most finely-tuned athletes? Only time will tell.

- With translation from ESPN FC