THEY appeared to have it all – successful careers, kids, and a £350million fortune.
But pop sensation Shakira, 45, and Barcelona star Gerard Pique, 35, have called off their romance – following allegations he had strayed.
They first caught each other's eye in 2010, when the handsome defender appeared alongside the Colombian songstress in the video for her World Cup single 'Waka Waka'.
Seemingly a happy couple, she toasted his success on the pitch with the Catalans – celebrating his successes like they were her own.
In 2013, they welcomed their first son, Milan who was born in Barcelona. Another boy followed – Sasha – two years later, as the pair built their family.
However, they never walked down the aisle – with Shakira admitting in a 2020 interview on US TV show 60 Minutes, "To tell you the truth, marriage scares the s*** out of me."
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How they met
It was the summer of 2010 – and Shakira was the voice of the World Cup in South Africa.
Her hit 'Waka Waka' became synonymous with the tournament, and it featured Pique in the video promo for it.
When they met on set, sparks flew. Pique later used a common chat up line to woo the curly haired beauty when they reconnected during the opening ceremony.
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“She was already there because she sang in the opening ceremony, and I asked her what the weather was like,” he revealed.
"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."
Pique made good on his promise – as Spain lifted the trophy by defeating Netherlands in the final.
Going public
It wasn't until 2011 that Shakira confirmed they were an item, after months of speculation.
The post she shared on Twitter featured a snap of them smiling together with the sea as their back-drop and their arms wrapped around one another.
"I present to you my sunshine," she declared to her millions of fans,
It wasn't the first time the football and music world collided – and it won't be the last.
But fans were immediately enamoured by the new couple.
She slowly became a staple at the Nou Camp, and made Barcelona her home with the rugged centre back.
What happened next seemed natural.
Children
As soon as they had crossed the 'honeymoon period' threshold, they were ready to welcome their first child.
Milan was born in 2013, and immediately Pique praised his partner for embracing motherhood with open arms – calling her "the best mum in the world".
"Milan could not have a better mom," he continued to gush.
"She is very dedicated, the love and the connection between them is amazing. I learn a lot by her side. Shakira has a very great career, knows a lot and has taught me a lot.
"She came into my life to transform it and that makes me very happy. She and Milan are my everything."
A second son, Sasha came along in 2015 – adding to their brood.
Marriage, though, wasn't in the equation
Most recently, Pique revealed why – despite being together for 11 years – they never wanted to commit to marriage.
He told Gary Neville on The Overlap: "No, I'm not married. It's her mentality.
"I like it how we are right now. We have two kids, nine and seven right now. We work good as a couple."
But tellingly, just before she wowed US fans at the Superbowl in 2020, she revealed why she wasn't up for getting hitched.
"I don't want him to see me as the wife. I'd rather him see me as his girlfriend," she said on 60 Minutes.
"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 behaviour."
Now, it appears there's been misbehaviour.
Shakira said in a statement via her publicist: “We regret to confirm that we are parting ways.
"For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect their privacy.
"Thank you for your understanding."
Reports circulating in Pique's homeland suggest he was unfaithful to her.
Perhaps the writing was on the wall, with Pique revealing back in March that he preferred playing against Espanyol over having sex with the stunning Shakira.
He told The Wild Project: “I'm happy that Espanyol has been promoted to the first division because that's how we play in their stadium. I like to go there, I get whistled at all the time.
“You laugh and the fans get even madder. There is nothing comparable in the world. I would say it's better than sex. I enjoy it a lot more than playing against Real Madrid."
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The two did reunite over the weekend to watch their son Milan play in the baseball tournament, but the brave show they put on didn't mask their torn situation.
For now, like his Barcelona career, the future is unclear.
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