FC Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique, 35, has announced his retirement from football after the weekend match.
The Spanish star player sent his fans in shock on Thursday, as he announced to retire from the sport after the next La Liga game of his club against UD Almeria. Pique shared the distressing news in a video message on the micro-blogging site.
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“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 in the clip.
Pique added, “Like many of you, I’ve always been a Barca fan. I was born into a football-loving family of Barca fans.”
Culers, us he de dir una cosa. pic.twitter.com/k3V919pm1T
— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) November 3, 2022
“From a very young age, I did not want to become a football player, I wanted to play for Barca. I have been thinking a lot about that kid lately, about what little Gerard would have thought had all his dreams come true. That he would make it to the Barca first team, that he would win every trophy possible,” Pique reflected.
The Spanish soccer star went on to speak about his 25-year-long journey with football, and how the sport has given him possibly everything he owns.
“I have always said that I would not be in any other team after I left Barca, and that is how it will be,” he stated, before announcing, “This Saturday’s game will be my last at Camp Nou.”
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“I will become a regular fan. I will support the team. I will pass my love for Barca to my children like my family did with me.”
Concluding the video message, Pique hinted, “And you know me, sooner or later, I’ll be back. I’ll see at the Camp Nou. Long live Barca. Always.”
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Touted as one of the best defenders of his generation, Gerard Pique started his career at the age of 10 in the youth team. He joined Manchester United in 2004, however, returned to Barcelona to play for FCB a couple of years later.
In his span at Barca, Pique has played over 600 games and won at least 30 trophies including La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey.
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