Gerard Piqué breaks silence on split from Shakira

Former couple announced split after 11 years of dating in June 2022

Gerard Piqué has broken his silence on his split from Shakira and revealed how their breakup has impacted their children.

The former football star spoke about his ex and their two sons, 10-year-old Milan and eight-year-old Sasha, during an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais on 19 March. As reported and translated from Spanish to English by E! News, Piqué discussed why he didn’t publicly address the breakup after he and Shakira announced it in June 2022.

“Everyone has their responsibility to try to do what is best for their children,” he said.

“It is about protecting them. That is the job of all parents with children. That is what I am focused on and that is my job as a father.”

Last month, Shakira also opened up about finding her strength again after ending the 11-year relationship. During an interview with En Punto con Enrique Acevedo, noted that she was focusing on herself, only weeks after Piqué went Instagram official with his new girlfriend, Clara Chia Marti.

“I’ve always been very emotionally dependent [on men] – I have to confess this. I was in love with love,” she said, per People’s translation. “One way or another, I’ve managed to learn it from another perspective and feel that I’ll be fine on my own.”

She continued: “When a woman has to face [hardships] in life, she comes out stronger. When you come out stronger it means you’re learning to recognize your weaknesses and accept your vulnerability.”

Similar to Piqué, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer has been prioritising children since the split, as she said that she now feels complete with her sons.

“I feel complete – because I feel like I can depend on myself and I have two kids who depend on me,” she said. “I have to be stronger than a lion.”

Elsewhere in his interview with El Pais, Piqué noted that he’s “very happy” with his personal life and is at a point where he keeps doing things that he wants.

“The day I die, I will look back and hope I have always done what I wanted. I want to be faithful to myself. I’m not going to spend money cleaning up my image,” he said.

He went on to praise the people who “love and care about” him and how “important” they are.

“I spend my energy on being with my loved ones and giving them what I have. I’m very happy. There have been changes in my life and I have known how to preserve happiness,” he added.

Last month, Piqué also spoke out about his new relationship for the first time, revealing that Marti has helped him build his wardrobe. “The truth is I go with my girlfriend to the shops and she buys them for me,” he said during an appearance on Spanish Twitch streamer Ibai Llanos’s live stream, according to the Daily Mail. “I’m a puppet.”