Gerard Pique, a defender for Barcelona, has declared his retirement from the game after this month’s Spanish league breaks World Cup.
After 14 years with the Catalan club, Pique, 35, says his final game at Camp Nou will be against Almeria on Saturday in LaLiga.
The defender confirmed in a video posted to social media that he will retire after Barcelona’s match against Almeria in La Liga on Saturday.
After 4 years in Manchester, 23 first-team showings for the English team, and a season-long loan with Real Zaragoza back in Spain, he went back to Barca in 2008.
Pique, who amassed 102 caps for Spain and contributed to their World Cup victory in 2010, has faded into the background for Barcelona this year, making just five starts.
Pique won the Champions League, Premier League, and League Cup while playing for Sir Alex Ferguson’s, but he only made 23 performances over the course of his 4 years.
Pique eventually returned to Barcelona and was coached by Pep Guardiola, who had just been recruited.
Pique will turn 36 in January, and already has a variety of extracurricular passions. He has modernized the Davis Cup tennis competition through his company, Kosmos, and he also owns the second-tier team Andorra.
He has previously declared his intention to run for Barca president after retiring, but in recent years, he has indicated that, while it is still a possibility, he is not certain if he will do so.
On Saturday at Camp Nou against Almeria, the defender will say goodbye to the supporters of Barcelona in what is sure to be a sentimental match for the 35-year-old club legend.