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FC Barcelona subordinate Gerard Piqué announced connected Nov. 3 that he's retiring from soccer. Read the connection from athlete, who announced successful June that helium and Shakira divided aft 11 years together.
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Gerard Piqué is hanging up his cleats.
The FC Barcelona player, 35, announced connected Nov. 3 that he's retiring from soccer, noting that the team's LaLiga match against UD Almería connected Nov. 5 volition beryllium his past astatine his location stadium Spotify Camp Nou.
In a video message announcing his determination to measurement distant from the sport, Piqué addressed caller rumors astir him. "The past fewer weeks, months, tons of radical person been talking astir me," helium said. "Until now, I haven't said anything. But now, I privation to beryllium the 1 talking astir me."
The athlete noted he's "always been a Barca fan" passim his life. "I was calved successful a football-loving household of Barca fans," helium continued. "From a precise young age, I didn't privation to go a shot player. I wanted to beryllium a Barca player."
Piqué's journey to that extremity began 25 years agone erstwhile he joined the club's younker squad U12 B astatine property 10, his FC Barcelona bio noted, with him advancing through the antithetic levels implicit the years. In 2004, the defender joined Manchester United F.C. successful England. Four years later—which included being loaned to Spain's Real Zaragoza—Piqué returned to his location metropolis to play for FC Barcelona. He's played determination ever since and has helped his squad triumph galore honors, including 3 UEFA Champions League titles and 3 Club World Cups.
And Piqué—who besides played for Spain's nationalist team—can't assistance but deliberation backmost to his puerility days erstwhile helium dreamed of playing for FC Barcelona.
"I've been reasoning a batch astir that kid lately," helium continued successful his video. "About what small Gerard would person thought if helium had been told that each of his dreams would travel true. That helium would marque it to Barca archetypal team. That helium would triumph each trophy possible. That helium would go European Champion and World Champion. That helium would play alongside the champion players successful history. That helium would go 1 of the team's captains. That helium would marque friends for life."
David Ramos/Getty Images
And portion he's thankful for his clip arsenic a nonrecreational footballer, he's acceptable for what's next. "It's been 25 years since I joined Barca," Piqué continued. "I left, and I came back. Football has fixed maine everything. Barca has fixed maine everything. You, culers, person fixed maine everything. And present that each that kid's dreams person travel true, I privation to archer you that I've decided that present is the clip to bring this travel to its end. I've ever said that determination would not beryllium immoderate different squad aft Barca. And that's however it volition be."
So what volition helium bash now? "I volition go a regular fan. I volition enactment the team," Piqué—who shares 2 kids with his ex Shakira—noted. "I volition walk my emotion for Barca to my children. Like my household did with me. And you cognize me, sooner oregon later, I'll beryllium back. I'll spot you astatine Camp Nou. Long unrecorded Barca. Always."
And FC Barcelona is grateful for his clip connected the team. "A beingness dedicated to Barca," the enactment tweeted Nov. 3. "Thank you, Piqué."
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