Pop Icon Shakira And Footballer Gerard Pique Separated After 12 Years: Reports

Shakira and footballer Gerard Pique announced on Saturday that their decade-long relationship was coming to an end. Pique, 35, and Shakira, 45, have been partners since 2011 and have two children together. They met just before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when he appeared in Shakira's music video for the tournament's official song, Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

"We regret to confirm that we are separating, and we want respect for (our) privacy for the sake of our children's well-being," they wrote in a statement.

Shakira And Gerard Pique Split

The rumours of their separation were making the rounds recently, where the reports claimed that Shakira discovered Gerard Pique with another woman. The fact that the two are not staying in the same house adds fuel to the rumours. It was also recently reported that Pique was living alone in his bachelor home on Barcelona's Calle Muntaner.

The rumours began to circulate after Shakira stopped uploading photos of herself with Gerard Pique on Instagram. He wasn't even mentioned in her Mother's Day post. Shakira didn't even mention the footballer in her caption when she shared a photo with her children on Mother's Day. Sasha, 7, and Milan, 9, are the sons of Shakira and Gerard Pique.

The couple announced their split barely over a week after Spanish court documents pushed Shakira closer to facing tax fraud charges in Spain after a Barcelona court refused her appeal.

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Prosecutors in Spain accuse her of cheating the Spanish tax office of 14.5 million euros ($15.5 million) in earnings between 2012 and 2014. In a statement, her legal team stated that they will continue to defend her case with strong legal arguments. According to the statement, "In all the countries where she had to pay taxes, Shakira's conduct on tax matters has always been excellent, and she has trusted and followed faithfully the suggestions of the best specialists and advisers."

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old footballer has also had a rough season on the pitch, with Barcelona having a difficult season and Pique himself suffering from a series of injuries. He appeared in 39 games for the team. The defender, who has been with Xavi's Barcelona team since 2008, is regarded as one of the most vital member of the squad. Pique has experienced some of the most brilliant days at Nou Camp, as well as some of the most tough seasons in recent years.