Shakira‘s ex, Gerard Piqué, 35, shocked fans on Nov. 3 when he took to Twitter and Instagram to share a video (WATCH HERE) where he announced his retirement from soccer after playing the sport for nearly 20 years. “Culers, us he de dir una cosa,” he captioned his posts. Gerard continued to narrate the video where he revealed that the match between FC Barcelona and UD Almería on Nov. 5 will be his final one. “The last few weeks, months, lots of people have been talking about me. Until now, I haven’t said anything. But now, I want to be the one talking about me,” he said. “Now is the time to bring this journey to its end. I’ve always said that there would not be any other team after Barca. And that’s how it will be.”
Gerard, who began playing soccer at the age of 10, also made sure to clarify that he is excited to be a “real fan” and enjoy the sport from the stands. Throughout the video, the 35-year-old gave his dedicated fan base an inside look at his personal life, especially his life as a child. Gerard noted that he was “born into a football-loving family of Barca fans” and from “a very young age” he knew it wasn’t merely soccer he wanted to play, but rather, he wanted to join FC Barcelona.
During the emotional clip, which spans a total of just over two-minutes in length, a present-day Gerard is seen watching home videos of himself as a child to seeing himself achieve his life’s dream. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that kid lately,” he said. “About what little Gerard would have thought if he had been told that all of his dreams would come true. That he would make it to Barca first team. That he would win every trophy possible. That he would become European Champion and World Champion. That he would play alongside the best players in history. That he would become one of the team’s captains. That he would make friends for life.”
The dad-of-two joined U12B, the club’s youth team, in 1997, and the defender later joined Manchester United in England at the age of 17 in 2004. By 2008, Gerard headed back to his home country to officially join FC Barcelona, where he played for over 14 years. Throughout his wildly successful career, Gerard has won over 35 trophies and has become a household name for soccer fans across the globe.
His retirement video comes just five months after he and the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer called it quits. “We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the couple said in a statement released by Shakira’s public relations firm. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.” Shakira and the beloved soccer player share two kids: Sasha, 7, and Milan, 9.