Colombian singer Shakira and Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué may no longer be together, but that doesn’t change the fact that fans shipped them for over a decade.
The relatively quiet former couple were an item for 12 years, during which time they welcomed two sons together. This June, however, the pair announced that they had called it quits. Ahead, see everything you need to know about Piqué and Shakira’s romance—from their honeymoon stages in 2010 to their sudden breakup and what has happened since.
September 2022: Shakira finally opens up about their split.
In a new cover interview for Elle‘s October issue, the singer broke her silence on her private and sudden split from Piqué, and the emotions that she’s been going through.
“I try to conceal the situation from [our kids] as much as I can,” Shakira told the magazine. “It’s really upsetting for two kids who are trying to process their parents’ separation. And sometimes I just feel like this is all a bad dream and that I’m going to wake up at some point. But no, it’s real. And what’s also real is the disappointment to see something as sacred and as special as I thought was the relationship I had with my kids’ father and see that turned into something vulgarized and cheapened by the media. And all of this while my dad has been in the ICU and I’ve been fighting on different fronts. Like I said, this is probably the darkest hour of my life.”
“For [women] like me who believe in values like family who had the dream, the big dream of having a family forever, to see that dream broken or shredded into pieces is probably one of the most painful things that you can ever go through,” she continued. “But I think that women, we are resilient. You know, we have this resiliency that is just innate in all of us. And we are meant to nurture and to take care of those who depend on us.
The singer noted that she made life-altering sacrifices throughout their relationship, most notably that of moving to Barcelona with the Spanish athlete so he could continue his professional soccer career at FC Barcelona, even though it would have been better for her singing career to live in the United States.
“One of the two had to make that effort and that sacrifice. And I did it. I put my career in second gear and I came to Spain, to support him so he could play football and win titles. And it was a sacrifice of love,” Shakira said. “Thanks to that, my kids were able to have a present mom, and I have this amazing bond with them that is unbreakable and that sustains us. You know, that is it. That’s all I can say.”
June 2022: They call it quits.
To fans’ surprise, the singer and soccer star dropped the sudden news that they had broken things off after 12 years together. “We regret to confirm that we are separating,” they said in a joint statement released by Shakira’s PR team. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”
February 2020: Shakira performs at the Super Bowl with J.Lo.
The only thing more special than Shakira’s Super Bowl performance with Jennifer Lopez is the fact that the sporting event took place on her birthday. Plus, as if by magic, her boyfriend Piqué’s birthday falls on the exact same day. While soccer player Piqué was born on February 2, 1987, Shakira was born a decade earlier on the same day in 1977. It seems that the couple’s union was truly meant to be.
January 2020: Shakira discusses her steamy relationship.
In the couple’s 60 Minutes interview in early 2020, Shakira opened up about her decision not to get married to Piqué. She said, “To tell you the truth, marriage scares the shit out of me. I don’t want him to see me as the wife. I’d rather him see me as his girlfriend.” She teased, “His lover, his girlfriend. It’s like a little forbidden fruit, you know? I wanna keep him on his toes. I want him to think that anything’s possible depending on behavior.”
April 2017: Shakira releases a song about her beau.
In April 2017, Shakira released the single “Me Enamoré,” from her album El Dorado, which is all about her love story with Piqué. The title of the single literally translates to “I fell in love.” In the lyrics, Shakira proclaimed, “With you I’d have ten children/ Let’s start with two/ I only tell you/ In case you want to practice.”
August 2017: Shakira candidly discusses motherhood.
In an interview with Hola! magazine in 2017, Shakira revealed, “I used to be the center of my world, and now I am only a satellite of my children. It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had.” She continued, “I never thought it’d be so difficult, because it takes a lot of your energy. I think of my family a lot; I’m concerned about them all day. It’s physical, emotional, and intellectual wear and tear. Thinking of making an album seemed like a Herculean task, like climbing Mount Everest.”
January 2015: The couple reveals they’re expecting again.
In a series of adorable Instagram pics, Shakira confirmed her second pregnancy. The couple’s second son, Sasha Piqué Mebarak, arrived shortly after, on January 29, 2015. The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer revealed on Instagram, “The name Sasha is of Greek and Russian descent and means ‘defender of mankind’ and ‘warrior.'”
June 2014: Shakira says she has no plans to marry.
Of her relationship with Piqué, Shakira 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.” However, the singer did admit, “But if I’m ever going to get married, he’s the one.”
January 2013: Shakira’s first child arrives.
The couple’s first child, Milan Piqué Mebarak, was born on January 22, 2013. Shakira excitedly shared adorable photos of the baby on Instagram.
September 2012: Shakira is pregnant with her first child.
The singer posted a photo on Instagram revealing her pregnancy in September 2012. She wrote, “Podría estar 9 meses más así! I could have another 9 months like this! Shak.”
May 2011: Piqué and Shakira confirm their relationship.
Having met in 2010, Shakira and Piqué’s relationship status was seemingly confirmed when the soccer player joined the singer onstage at her concert in Spain in May 2011.
June 2010: Shakira meets Gerard Piqué on the set of her music video.
Shakira met Spanish professional soccer player Gerard Piqué when she filmed the music video for her 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”
Piqué opened up about meeting the superstar during an interview with TV3. He revealed, “It all started when we were in South Africa and I wrote to her. She was already there because she sang in the opening ceremony and I asked her what the weather was like. It is the typical stupid question… it got to the point where I told her we would have to get to the World Cup final to see her again—she was singing at the final.”
Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper’s BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.
Sabrina Park is a Digital Fellow at HarpersBAZAAR.com where she covers news, fashion, and culture stories. When she’s not writing she loves hanging out with her cat, reading outdoors and scrolling the depths of TikTok.
