Shakira Opens the Lid on Her Relationship Drama With Gerard Piqué

She was one of the biggest pop stars, and he was one of the most talented footballers - the ultimate couple. But now, everything's changed. We're tracing their entire dating history, up until their recent divorce - and all the rumors it's called for.

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She's been crowned the Queen of Latin Music. The Colombian native is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. From Hips Don't Lie to She Wolf, whenever a song by Shakira is on, everyone sings along.

Born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, the singer released her first album when she was only 13. Since then, she has won 3 Grammy Awards, 12 Latin Grammy Awards and has sold over 140 million records worldwide. However, there is more to the superstar than just her music...

Enter Gerard

Today, Gerard Piqué is a retired soccer player. Although his days of defending may be behind him, he is still considered one of his generation's best defenders. He made his debut as a center-back for Manchester United, staying with the team for four years.

Then, the Barcelona native returned back home and played the rest of his career, a total of 397 appearances, at FC Barcelona. He was also an integral part of the Spanish national team, helping them to reach the World Cup in 2010 and the Euros in 2012. But the ball wasn't the only thing that Piqué had his eye on.

"This Time for Africa"

In 2010, South Africa made history by being the first African nation to host the FIFA World Cup. The official song for the tournament was Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), and Shakira was chosen to perform it. For the music video, some of the biggest names in international soccer make an appearance, including Piqué. 

While they were on set together, the Colombian singer caught the eye of the Spanish soccer player. Looking back, Piqué could not get his mind off of Shakira. He confessed TV3 in an interview that "it all started when we were together in South Africa, and I wrote to her."

When Worlds Collide

Shakira told 60 Minutes during an interview, "I wasn't a soccer fan, so I didn't know who he was." Imagine that. He is one of the most famous athletes playing on the world stage, yet the singer had no idea who he was when they filmed the video together. 

She continued, "When I saw the video, I was like, 'Hmm, that one's kind of cute.' And then someone decided to introduce us." What was a brief encounter would turn into a life-changing romance for the two lovebirds. There was so much in store for them - but during that time, Gerard still had a World Cup to win.

World Champions

The 2010 World Cup took place over four weeks in the South African winter months, from June to July. Spain was a front-runner to win the cup, having won all their matches in their qualifying campaign. They made it to the finals and faced off against the Netherlands.

The Netherlands were worthy opponents, having also won all their matches in their qualifying campaign. No one scored in the first 90 minutes of the game, sending them into extra time. Then, four minutes before the clock would run out on extra time, Spain scored. Now Gerard was a World Cup champion.

Their Public Debut

After the World Cup was over, fans across the world wondered if Shakira and Piqué were an item. Nothing had been confirmed, but the rumor mill was running double time. Finally, they put all gossip to bed when they posted a photo together on social media.

After that, the two were #official. During her "The Sun Comes Out" World Tour, Shakira brought her new man and some of his teammates onto the stage for a dance lesson. Shakira shared a big smooch with Piqué, and the crowd went wild. Then, the couple began to appear in public together, showing off how in love they were. Muy caliente!

Baby on Board

Fast forward to 2012, and fans were disappointed when Shakira pulled out of the iHeartRadio Music Festival - but she had a pretty good reason for it. The Hips Don't Lie singer announced, "As some of you may know, Gerard and I are very happy awaiting the arrival of our first baby!" 

Their baby boy, Milan, was brought into the world on January 22, 2013. The new parents were over the moon with their little bundle of joy. Shakira told PEOPLE, "Thank God [Milan's] father has been really involved. He's been amazing... the kind of dad who is full hands-on." As she put it, Gerard was a superstar on and off the field. For now...

The Real Deal

As for their plans to tie the knot? She told Glamour in 2014, "We already have what's essential, you know? We have a union, a love for each other, and a baby. I think that those aspects of our relationship are already established, and marriage is not going to change them."

Shakira added that if there was going to be anyone she ended up getting married to, it would be her boyfriend, Gerard. She explained, "he's the one." With a baby boy and a love for the ages, there was nothing that could put a stop to this power couple. It was true love, or as it is called in Spanish, amor verdadero.

Family of Four

Shakira and Piqué had another shocking announcement for their fans, friends, and family. They were pregnant - again. She posted on Facebook, "Yes, we are expecting our second baby!! Thank you for all your well wishes!" She also shared the news with Cosmopolitan en Español.

She confessed, "Well, yes, the truth is that, yes, I am pregnant." Then, the couple and big brother welcomed the new addition to their family, Sasha, on January 29, 2015. Their little family was complete - with two healthy boys and two parents devoted to them and each other. Sadly, things would soon change.

Me Enamoré

Being the love interest of a musician means that a song about your love story may end up winning a Grammy. That is exactly what happened with Shakira and her love, Piqué. Even the title of the song, Me Enamoré translates to "I fell in love." Once it dropped on the radio, the song became a hit. 

Shakira won the best Latin Pop Album award at the 60th Grammy Awards for the album that the song was on, El Dorado. Although she couldn't make it to the ceremony, the couple shared a video of them jumping on a trampoline while singing the lyrics to their love song. 

Bittersweet Goodbye

After many long and tough years playing international football, Piqué announced in 2018 that he would retire from the Spanish team. The decision must have been hard, but having Shakira and two adorable sons by his side unquestionably made it easier.

Shakira dedicated an Instagram post to her soccer star. The translation said, "Love, finished the stage that we will always keep in our hearts. One of the happiest moments of my life has also been seeing you win in 2010 with the national team and celebrate with Spain champions! Shak."

The Good & The Ugly

Shakira and Gerard were there for each other through the good and bad times. The singer disclosed to The Guardian that he was there for her during one of the most challenging times of her life. In 2017, she suffered a hemorrhage in her vocal cord and could not talk, let alone sing. Shakira lost part of her identity. 

She said, "He jokes that you would think you would want your wife to shut up - but when I had to remain quiet, he felt like one of those ex-convicts who are given their freedom and don't know what to do with it." She continued, "I was a bitter person to be around. Gerard saw the worst of me."

Legal Woes

But there were even more difficult times ahead for the singer. Spanish prosecutors came after the Whenever, Wherever singer in 2018 for tax evasion. They claim that Shakira was withholding $14.5 million euros in taxes from 2012 to 2014. However, Shakira has repeatedly denied the allegations. 

She said to Elle, "I didn't spend 183 days per year [in Spain] at that time at all. I was busy fulfilling my professional commitments around the world. Second, I've paid everything they claimed I owed, even before they filed a lawsuit. So, as of today, I owe zero to them." If she's later found guilty, the singer could face prison time. 

Playing the Field

But by 2020, Shakira was about to tackle another type of hurdle - American football. Though it wasn't going to be Piqué dominating the field. The superstar would be taking the stage with Jennifer Lopez for the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show, which took place in Miami, Florida, on February 2.

The two powerhouse singers sang some of their top hits for the performance - from J.Lo's Jenny from the Block to Shakira's Whenever, Wherever. They were also joined on stage by special guests Bad Bunny, J Balvin, and Emme Muñiz. The performance also had special meaning for the couple. It was on both of their birthdays!

The Forbidden Fruit

Over the years, Shakira gave a little insight into why the two have kept from exchanging vows and making their relationship a marriage. She said in a joint interview with Piqué, "To tell you the truth, marriage scares the s--- out of me. I don't want him to see me as the wife."

She continued, "I'd rather him see me as his girlfriend. His lover, his girlfriend. It's like a forbidden fruit, you know? I wanna keep him on his toes. I want him to think that anything's possible depending on behavior." As people often say, be careful what you wish for.

The One Thing They Disagree On

But while they may have agreed on their marriage stance, there were bound to be things they disagreed on or argued about. According to Shakira, there was only one thing that she and her "husband, slash boyfriend, slash babby daddy, whatever you want to call him," fought about - and it was punctuality.

On the podcast Planet Weirdo with Holly H, the singer said, "... he has to wait up for me so long. He's tired of waiting up. 'Cause Colombian time is not the same as Catalonian time, Spanish time." Shakira continued, "The times that we actually fight is because I'm late and he's waiting up." 

Calm Before the Storm

Despite Shakira's tardiness, she and Gerard were #goals. Not only did they score by winning each other over, but they built a beautiful family together. They seemed unstoppable - from constantly showing affection to each other or posting about their love on social media. Nothing could break this power couple.

Shakira gushed in an interview, "I think, if you can prove the existence of God, it can only be proven through love." How profound! She continued, "… I started to think that there was no God. And suddenly, I meet Gerard and the sun comes out." However, a storm was brewing on the horizon.

A Shocking End

Everything came crashing down in June 2022. After 11 years together and 2 children, the couple announced they were separating in a joint statement. Fans were devastated and completely surprised by the news. They wrote, "We regret to confirm that we are separating."

It continued, "We ask for privacy at this moment for the well-being of our children, who are our maximum priority. Thank you in advance for your understanding and respect." When the news broke, there were reports by El Periodico that Piqué was living separately from Shakira and the 2 boys. But what was really going on?

The Summer of Silence

The couple kept quiet during the summer months after announcing their split. Shakira was a judge on the new reality series, Dancing With Myself - adancing competition series where everyday people compete in dance challenges to take home the cash prize. 

Over the summer, Shakira posted a photo of her with her two boys at the Los Angeles Dodgers game. Meanwhile, Gerard was quiet on his social media. It was a summer of silence for the couple that was once such a stronghold. But what was about to happen next was mind-blowing…

"Darkest Hours of My Life"

Then, the silence ended. Shakira opened up for the first time since her separation from her longtime boyfriend, slash husband, slash baby daddy, in an interview with Elle in September 2022. She said, "I've remained quiet and just tried to process it all."

She also shared, "And I feel like in this moment of my life, which is probably one of the most difficult, darkest hours of my life, music has brought light." A reminder that no matter how bleak things may be, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Right?

Monotonía

Just 1 month later, a new single was released - which wasn't only referring to the newly broken up couple. Shakira dropped a new song called Monotonía. The heart-breaking music video depicted the singer walking around with a hole in her chest as she carried around her beating heart. Was she hinting at a deeper meaning here?

The clip ended with her shutting away her heart in a safe deposit box. The lyrics, translated from Spanish, demonstrated the pain this breakup was causing the mother of two, "It wasn't your fault, not was it mine/ It was the monotony's fault/ I never said anything, but it hurt me/ I knew this would happen."

What About the Kids?

The former power couple may have their differences now, but there is one thing they both share: fierce love and devotion to their two children. Milan and Sasha are their number one priority, and after some deliberation, the couple came to a custody agreement in November 2022.

They noted in a joint statement, "Our sole objective is to provide our children with the utmost security and protection and hope that they can continue with their lives in a safe and calm environment. We appreciate that their privacy will be respected."

In a Bit of a Jam

Then, more news about why the couple broke up was spread. Apparently, Shakira had kept a jar of jam in the fridge. Since both of her sons and Gerard didn't like the condiment, she had it all to herself. But one day after returning home from a business trip, she noticed something strange about her jar - as she allegedly told Socialite.

There was some jam missing from the jar! According to Page Six, Shakira suspected her former beau was cheating when she discovered the jar was not as she had left it. Since she was the only one who ate from it, who could have taken it from the jar?

Te Felicito

A few months before Shakira's split from her longtime lover was even announced, she seemed to hint that she knew about her husband's affair. Now, knowing more about the situation, Cosmopolitan pointed to a reference in the music video for Te Felicito, which she released back in April 2022. 

In the music video, Shakira opens the fridge and finds a man's head. In the video, the head belongs to Rauw Alejandro, the other singer on the track. But fans speculated that this could represent the jam jar. If that's true, that means Shakira knew about the affair months before the couple announced their separation...

The Diss Track

Shakira still had more to say, or in her case, sing. On January 12, 2023, she dropped a diss track called BZRP Music Session #53 with the Argentinian producer and DJ Bizarrap. The lyrics took direct aim at her former boyfriend and his new girlfriend, Clara Chía Martí. 

The explosive song has since broken the record for being one of the most streamed songs in Latin history on YouTube. In the song, translated from Spanish, Shakira sings, "A she-wolf like me is not for guys like you/ I'm too good for you and that's why you're with someone just like you."

Gerard Hits Back

Shakira shades Piqué by comparing herself to his new girlfriend. Translated from Spanish, she sings, "I wish you luck with my supposed replacement/ I don't even know what happened to you/ I'm worth two of 22/ You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo/ You traded a Rolex for a Casio."

It didn't take long for the soccer player to clap back at his ex's lyrics. A few days after the track dropped, Piqué was seen arriving to work in a Twingo, according to The Independent. He also wore a Casio watch to his Kings League sports tournament. But there was more drama where that came from... 

The Other Girl

So, who is this other girl that Shakira was singing about in her diss track? Clara Chía Martí is a public relations student and is 23 years old, according to Yahoo Sports. On the side, while also studying for her career, she previously worked at a Barcelona-based production company overseeing their special events. 

It wasn't just any production company, though. It was Piqué's company, Kosmos, according to The Sun. Clara's Instagram was recently deleted, but it was set to private with very few followers even when she had it - reports Yahoo Sports. Nonetheless, the world would soon know her name.

Instagram Official

In yet another clap back to Shakira's song, Gerard posted a photo of him with his new girl on his Instagram page. There was no caption with the post. It was just a selfie of the new couple soft-smiling to the camera. But they were stepping out in a big way.

A source close to the item told The Sun, "Gerard and Clara have been seeing each other for months. People have been helping him keep the romance hush-hush and have wiped Clara's social media accounts so people can't find photos of her." But the pair have been spotted at a wedding and traveling around Europe together. 

No Tears Left To Cry

As for Shakira? The Queen of Latin Pop Music bounced back. She posted a video of her dancing and singing along to the lyrics of her diss track. The post's caption translates to, "Women no longer cry, women dance merengue!" We're here for it.

Marca also reported that since the song's release, Clara has been at her parents' house, taking refuge from the onslaught of attention she has received from Shakira's fiery track. A source alleged, "It has taken its toll on her, and she needed to take a step away."

11 Years Later...

Eleven years ago, a Colombian girl caught the eye of a Spanish man. They hit it off immediately and became something much more together. They were each other's ride-or-die, going through all of life's biggest moments together, like having children. Shakira and Gerard were a family unit.

Then, everything came crashing down. In an instant, the singer and soccer player went from lovers to bitter exes. Their split has been making headlines, from diss tracks to Instagram selfies. It'll take some time for the wounds to heal - if they ever can.