Footballer Gerard Piqué has won everything. He is world and European champion with Spain. With his heart club FC Barcelona he has triumphed several times in the Champions League. But now he can no longer get beyond the role of reservist - and draws consequences.
The Spanish and especially the Catalan soccer idol Gerard Piqué surprisingly ended his great and extremely successful career next weekend. The world and European champion from FC Barcelona announced this to his 20 million Twitter followers in a video with many pictures from his childhood. Pique has played more than 600 professional games for FC Barcelona in 14 years, including winning the Champions League three times with the club.
"In the past few weeks, a lot of people have been talking about me - now I'm talking myself," said the 35-year-old, who is now no longer able to get beyond the reserve role. "I never wanted to be a footballer. I wanted to be a Barca player. What would little Gerard have thought if he had known that all his dreams would come true? That he would win every trophy he could think of? That he would be European and world champion would?"
Piqué was born in Barcelona and trained as a footballer with FC Barcelona. After stints at Manchester United and Real Zaragoza, he returned to Barça in 2008. Now he has decided to "bring this journey to an end. I have always said that there will be no other team for me after Barça. And it will stay that way." His last game at the Camp Nou will be the league clash with UD Almeria on Saturday.
Piqué won his last of 102 caps (5 goals) at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, but he was included in national coach Luis Enrique's provisional squad for the finals in Qatar (from 20 November). In the future he will "be a normal fan" and pass on his love for Barça to his children, said the Catalan: "And sooner or later, you know me, I will return."
