Soccer Star Gerard Piqué Announces Retirement With Sweet Home Movies
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Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué announced Thursday that he’s leaving the sport.
On Instagram, the Barcelona defender shared home videos of himself as a child and talked about how he had hoped to one day play on the Catalan team.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about that kid lately,” he said, according to translated subtitles in his post. “About what little Gerard would have thought if he had been told that all his dreams would come true.”
He went on, “And now that all that kid’s dreams have come true, I want to tell you that I’ve decided that now is the time to bring this journey to its end.”
The 35-year-old’s final game is set for Saturday, after which he said he’ll be a “regular fan.” However, he also concluded the video by saying: “And you know me. Sooner or later, I’ll be back” — hinting that he may return to the sport in some capacity.
Piqué also mentioned he would pass his “love for Barça” to his children ― two young sons he shares with pop star Shakira. The couple announced back in June that they were splitting up after more than a decade together.
Shakira and Gerard Pique in 2019. (Photo: Europa Press Entertainment/Europa Press via Getty Images))
Piqué began his career at the Barcelona team’s youth academy before joining Manchester United, then returning to play for Barcelona in 2008, according to CNN. He would go on to become a major star, winning numerous trophies and titles.
Per CNN, Barcelona club president Joan Laporta said Piqué “will always be an icon for the culers,” referring to the team’s fans.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
