“It No Longer Affected Me” – Despite Facing ‘Shakira’ and ‘B**tard’ Insults, Gerard Pique Reminisces ‘Electric Environments’ While Playing for Barcelona

Former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique shocked the world by announcing his retirement in November last year. The announcement came in the middle of the ongoing season. He wasn’t the first-choice defender for Barcelona since the 2022-23 season started. The star defender, who retired from international soccer in 2018, focused on Barcelona since then.

However, he soon fell below the pecking order in the selection when the season started. FC Barcelona signed Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen in the summer. It resulted in the World Cup winner relegating to the bench as Barcelona coach preferred Ronald Araujo, Kounde, Christensen, and Eric Garcia ahead of him. 

Pique, back in 2021, said that he would not prefer a bench role continuously. If that happens, he will retire from soccer if he isn’t necessary for the team. But he was clear that he will retire in Barcelona, and he stayed with his words announcing his retirement. Recently, the former Spanish defender, while speaking to El Pais, spoke about his retirement decision.

Gerard Pique didn’t regret his retirement decision

Pique sat down with El Pais and spoke on various topics, ranging from the Shakira saga to his retirement from soccer midway through the season. When an interviewer asked whether he regretted the decision to retire, Pique said, “Not at all. I just miss the competitiveness and those electric environments, the matches at the Bernabeu and Cornella.”

Santiago Bernabeu and Cornella stadiums belong to two of the fierce rivals of FC Barcelona. Bernabeu is home to Spanish giants Real Madrid and Cornella is home to Catalan club Espanyol. Both the stadiums always gave a hostile reception to the former Barcelona defender, and Espanyol fans once even threw ‘ba**ard’ chants at Pique. He was also insulted by the fans with derogatory Shakira chants.

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When the interviewer asked about the insults he got from the Espanyol fans, Pique said, “A lot. But it motivated me. I got to the point that to protect myself I went to the field and thought that the followers were actors. In the end, it no longer affected me.”

Pique wanted to retire at FC Barcelona

The World Cup winner started his youth career at the Catalan club. He then moved to the Premier League to play for Manchester United and spent four seasons there. He moved back to Barcelona in 2008 after a season-long loan at Real Zaragoza. Since then he played for the club till November last year and won many trophies at Barcelona.

He was loyal to the club, and when asked about his retirement in 2021, Pique made it clear that he would definitely retire at Barcelona. Pique won eight La Liga trophies in his career and won UEFA Champions League thrice with Barcelona. He is one of the most decorated players in Barcelona and will go down as a legend in the club’s history.

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