By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp
ANKARA (AA) - Barcelona's veteran defender Gerard Pique announced his retirement Thursday from professional football.
The 35-year-old Spaniard declared that the La Liga match Saturday against Almeria will be his last and he will not play for another team than Barcelona.
The decorated center-back is one of the few remaining active players, who was part of the legendary Barcelona squad, which dominated European football from 2008 - 2019.
- Early days:
Gerard Pique Bernabeu was born Feb. 2, 1987, in Barcelona.
Being one of the most promising youngsters to train in Barca's famous football academy, La Masia, Pique started playing as a defensive midfielder during the first years of his career.
Instead of signing his first professional contract with the Spanish club, he decided to move to the English Premier League club, Manchester United, at age 17, in 2004.
There, he would have a chance to work with legendary coach, Sir Alex Ferguson.
He started to play mostly center back and made his debut for the Red Devils in October 2004 against Crewe Alexandra in the League Cup.
Pique spent most of his days with United as a reserve.
He was loaned to the Spanish side Real Zaragoza in 2006, for a year.
- Return to Barcelona:
After winning the English Premier League title and UEFA Champions League in 2008 with Manchester United, in July that year, Pique returned to his boyhood club, Barcelona.
After some time, he started to play with Barcelona legend, Carles Puyol in Barca's defense.
With his highly skilled technique, passing, and scoring ability, combined with Puyol's bravery, marking, and strong defensive play, they created a good defensive duo.
Until Puyol's retirement in 2014, the synergy between the two -- combined with an extraordinarily talented squad, including Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi -- paved the way for Barcelona to win two UEFA Champions League titles in 2009 and 2011.
He later won another Champions League trophy with the Spanish powerhouse in 2015.
Pique have netted 53 goals with 15 assists in 615 appearances for Barcelona.
He won 30 titles during his time with Barca, including three UEFA Super Cups (2010, 2012, 2016), three FIFA Club World Cups (2009, 2011, 2015), and eight Spanish La Liga titles (2009-2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019).
- Spain:
Pique was an integral part of the legendary Spain squad that dominated world football for years.
After winning a European U-19 Championship during his early days with the national team, more was on the way for Pique and his compatriots.
They won the 2010 FIFA World Cup, then, in 2012, they claimed the UEFA European Championship.
He scored five goals in 102 caps for the Spanish National Football Team.
- Playstyle, personal life, controversies:
Pique is an outstanding defender. His technique and ability to score allow him occasionally join team attacks.
He is considered a “modern defender” as his ball-playing abilities, accurate passing, and versatility allow him to also play defensive midfielder.
He solidified his status as a loyal Barcelona player when he agreed to a 70% pay cut during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and despite announcing his retirement a little early, he showed no desire to play for another club other than the Spanish powerhouse.
Pique was in a relationship with Colombian star singer-songwriter Shakira, from 2011 to 2022.
He is also a competitive poker player, finishing an event in second place and winning more than €350,000 ($346,00) in 2019.
Pique was convicted of image rights fraud in 2019 and ordered by a Spanish court to pay €2.1 million to tax authorities.