The truth is I've always wanted to be him. Born and bred at Barca, left and came back. Won it all with the club of his life and with also with his country.
Why Pique you might wonder, why not a Messi, Xavi, Iniesta? It's because out of all of them, he felt the most human. Someone with flaws, who made the occasional error, who never shied away from showing what he felt. At the same time he also has the perfect life, one of football's elite, charming, handsome, married to Shakira of all people and somehow he even has business degree from Harvard.
Centre-back is one of football's more unforgiving positions, often associated with brutish hardmen and Pique made it look cool, more often than not in a defensive line 30-40 yards from his own box with only the keeper to save his blushes.Not that he couldn't do the other half too. Last season he was colossal after Xavi's arrival, often braving injury as he jumped from one headed clearance to another.
Pique ends his career with 30 trophies. He is also the highest scoring defender in UCL history, never missing the chance to join the attack.
Yes, the last few years haven't been the kindest, on and perhaps more importantly off the pitch, but Gerard Pique will be remembered as one of the most interesting characters in the game while being one of the best defenders of his time atleast.
There has been a long standing expectation of him returning as the club President once he retires so that's something to be seen. His grandfather was a vice president at Barca and Pique himself already owns a club.
Gerard Pique was one of my boyhood heroes for all the reasons mentioned above but perhaps most so because he was as Barca as they came. No one felt a better embodiment of the Blaugrana than him.
From every net you cut after winning a trophy, to the raised hands in the Clasico, it's been a wonderful career. Happy retirement Geri.
Tags
Football