The veteran defender bows out with 4 Champions League titles and the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 with Spain.
Barcelona’s Spanish defender Gerard Pique reacts earlier than the beginning of the Spanish League soccer match between FC Barcelona and Real Valladolid FC on the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on 28 August 2022. Picture: Josep LAGO/AFP
BARCELONA – Barcelona’s Gerard Pique introduced his retirement on Thursday after a embellished career, saying “the moment has come to end this journey”.
“Saturday’s match (against Almeria) will be my last at the Camp Nou,” the 35-year-old posted on Twitter.
The veteran defender bows out with 4 Champions League titles and the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 with Spain.
“I wanted to tell you that I’ve decided the moment has come to end this journey,” he stated in a video clip of the star watching photos of himself as a small boy sporting the Barcelona shirt, or chasing after autographs.
“There’s no other team after Barca,” he added.
“I’m going to become a super fan, I’ll be supporting the team and pass on my love for Barca to my son.”
“And sooner or later, I’ll be back,” he concluded.
Pique can also be anticipated to be concerned within the membership’s closing La Liga fixture earlier than the World Cup, a visit to face Osasuna on Tuesday.
“He is part of the Barca club badge, he will always be a leader for Barca fans, he has clearly demonstrated what Barca love,” president Joan Laporta informed Barca TV.
“Pique understands our financial fair play situation and is very willing to help the club.”
It stays to be seen what is going to occur to the cash he was nonetheless owed by the membership for deferring a component of his wage through the Covid-19 pandemic, with some experiences in Spain suggesting he may let Barcelona off the hook to some extent, given their monetary scenario.
The Catalan defender has beforehand expressed a want to grow to be president of the membership someday and this will surely be remembered by future voters.
Laporta and his board have talked about the difficulty they’ve had lowering their wage invoice, with veteran gamers like Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, on the greater finish of the dimensions.
“A life dedicated to Barca, thank you Pique,” wrote Barcelona on Twitter.
BARCA FOR LIFE
Arriving on the Camp Nou aged 10, Pique left his house metropolis for Manchester United’s academy in 2004, successful a primary Champions League trophy underneath then supervisor Alex Ferguson in 2008.
He then returned to Catalonia, serving to Barca to eight La Liga crowns, seven Copas del Rey and three Champions League titles in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
Known as a defender with an eye fixed for purpose, Pique netted 52 instances for Barcelona in 615 appearances, together with in a well-known 6-2 rout of Real Madrid in 2009.
Pique takes his go away with Barca knocked out of the Champions League within the group stage for the second season operating, because the membership look to maneuver into a brand new period.
Xavi used him this season as a fifth-choice centre-back, enjoying when others have been injured, and his performances drew criticism, whereas some followers whistled him through the latest win over Villarreal at Camp Nou.
The defender was at fault for a purpose which Inter Milan scored in a 3-3 draw at Camp Nou which nearly noticed Barcelona eradicated from the Champions League.
“I am in shock, people have been unfair to you, few have defended the Barcelona shirt like you have,” wrote former Barcelona defender and captain Carles Puyol on Twitter.
“I will always be able to say that I played by your side, a privilege, I love you, my friend.”
A sporting icon in Spain, Pique had movie star standing too as companion to Colombian singer Shakira.
They met through the filming of the video of Shakira’s 2010 World Cup anthem Waka Waka.
Shakira sang the official tune earlier than the 2010 World Cup closing ceremony in South Africa, with Pique’s Spain defeating the Netherlands 1-0 within the closing at Johannesburg’s Soccer City stadium.
“Once a champion, always a champion,” wrote FIFA’s official World Cup account, together with an image of Pique kissing the trophy.
The couple, who introduced their separation in June, have two youngsters.
Pique has combined enjoying with a burgeoning enterprise career, founding the sports activities occasions firm Kosmos which was behind the revamp of tennis’ Davis Cup.
Kosmos and Pique courted controversy at cost they obtained for serving to prepare the Spanish Super Cup’s transfer to Saudi Arabia.