The 35-year-old, who helped Spain win the World Cup and the European Championship, has declared he will retire after Barcelona's La Liga match against Almeria on Saturday. He also said that i have always maintained that there would be no team other after Barca.
The encounter between Barcelona and Almeria at the Nou Camp on Saturday will be Gerard Pique's final game as a professional football player, he has revealed.
The 35-year-old with his childhood club Barcelona, a three-time Champions League and eight-time La Liga champion, shared the good news in a video message on his social media.
He stated, "Football has given me everything. Barcelona has provided for me in every way. You, Barcelona supporters, have done everything for me.
Pique played with Barca as a youngster until 2004, when he joined Manchester United. He returned to the Catalan giants in 2008 after playing little for the Red Devils during their 2007–2008 Premier League and Champions League triumphs.
He has played in more than 600 games and collected 30 medals during his career at Barcelona, including eight La Liga championships, three Champions League trophies, and seven Copa del Rey crowns.
Barcelona is now in second place in La Liga, one point behind Real Madrid, and was eliminated from the Champions League this season.
Barcelona owes £1 billion in debt. The club's owners, Barca's members, voted in favour of giving president Joan Laporta the authority to use some unusual measures, or economic "levers," to obtain a substantial cash infusion.
To help the team, many players, including Pique, were asked to accept significant pay cuts.
However, Barca was unable to advance to the lucrative knockout round of the Champions League this year, so more cost-cutting may now be necessary.
Outside of sports he is a businessman and owns the Spanish second division team Andorra.
He is the CEO and creator of Kosmos Tennis, which partnered with the International Tennis Federation for $3 billion in 2018.
He is the last legionnaire left from that fantastic Barcelona of Messi, Iniesta. Javier among others.