How a Game Boy bribe helped forge a Spanish football star
In short: Before he was a Champions League veteran, Carlos Soler was a shy four-year-old taking half-time shots for his brother's team. It took a handheld console and a promise of play to convince him to join the Valencia youth academy.
The journey of Carlos Soler Barragán, born in Valencia on 2 January 1997, began with a classic incentive. While he showed early power during training sessions for Bonrepòs, his initial reluctance to join the club was overcome only when his grandfather offered him a Game Boy as a reward for attending. By 2005, at age eight, he joined Valencia's youth setup, where his role evolved from a prolific striker into an attacking and eventually central midfielder.
Soler's professional trajectory is marked by significant transfers and high-stakes valuations. Following a 2019 Copa del Rey triumph and 226 games with Valencia, his 2022 transfer to Paris Saint-Germain cost €18 million. During his time in France, he secured two Ligue 1 titles. His career has since seen him navigate the Premier League via a loan to West Ham United for the 2024–25 season, before returning to La Liga with Real Sociedad in September 2025.
On the international stage, Soler has been a key figure for Spain. He earned a silver medal at the 2020 Olympic tournament in Japan and was selected by Luis Enrique for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he notably scored in a 7–0 victory over Costa Rica. His club career has also been defined by clinical moments, such as his first career hat-trick against Real Madrid in November 2020, where all three goals were scored from the penalty spot.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Carlos Soler
- Also: Wikidata — Carlos Soler · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Carlos Soler Márquez · CC0
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