FC Barcelona has fans all over the world, especially in Europe. The team was most successful back in 2009, as it felt like nobody could ever come close to them. Today, they are still a formidable force, and many gambling fans love to bet on Barcelona.
Additionally, the team has lots of talented players on their side, and Gerard Pique is a perfect example. He is popular on the court and outside of it. He has many fans on social media and people are interested in his private life.
So, let’s see what makes him so popular.
Playing Poker
Gerard took part in European Tour Poker, which is a big poker tournament that was hosted by Barcelona. He definitely proved that he has a keen eye and knows how to handle high-pressure situations, as he finished second and won over 300,000 euros.
Poker fans who are impressed by this can visit Trustly online casinos and find reliable online platforms where they can compete in poker and other casino games. Of course, you should only wager money you can afford to lose, as it’s unlikely you have as much disposable income as Pique.
Love Story
Many already know that Pique is currently in a relationship with the love of his life, the popular singer Shakira. He is 10 years younger than her, but they share the same birthday 2nd of February. They actually met each other in 2010 during the FIFA World Cup. Many of you recall the famous song that promoted the event called Waka Waka. Shakira was actually filming the video there, which is how they ended up meeting.
They didn’t go public with the relationship for a whole year and in 2012 it was revealed that the couple is expecting a baby. In the year 2013, they had their first child and another one two years later. Another really interesting fact is that Shakira, who is his soulmate, isn’t Pique’s favorite music artist. His favorite singers are U2, Lady Gaga, and Rihana, but it’s tough to say whether these artists still occupy the top spot. Lastly, the couple never got married, and Shakira stated in one of the interviews that the idea of marriage is scary for her.
Business Ventures
Pique isn’t only interested in football, he expanded his career options by establishing a sports media platform called Kosmos, back in 2017. It’s a site dedicated to bringing news and updates related to sports and he started this business with Edmund Chu and Hiroshi Mikitani. Pique also owns FC Andorra, and he purchased the club in 2018. Additionally, he is the majority owner of another football club called Gimnastic Manresa.
Pique is among the top 20 highest-paid players, and his net worth is estimated at over $40 million. He has also earned millions through various endorsements, and one of his main sponsors is Nike. However, he was also processed for tax fraud in Spain, and the Spanish court ordered him to pay 2.1 million euros.
Controversy
There are always rivalries between teams and players in football, and it’s not uncommon for the audience to really like or really hate certain players. However, it seems that Pique gets a lot of hate from Real Madrid fans. Moreover, he seems to have provoked them on several occasions.
During one Barca-Real match, the result was 5-0, so Pique took it upon himself to add insult to injury. Madrid fans’ ego was already bruised but when they saw him mocking them, it was perfectly clear that the war was on.
Real Madrid fans continuously chant insults in Barca-Real matches, and almost all of them are now addressed to Pique. It seems that this insult war isn’t going to end any time soon, as both sides continue to throw jabs at one another. After all, this is a part of the football rivalries, it’s just that this one escalated to a new level.
Conclusion
This was a brief overview of Gerard Pique’s career outside of the football court. He is one of the players who come from the Spanish golden generation, and one of the biggest stars of La Liga. Still, many claims that his immature behaviour and provocation don’t make him an admirable leader of the team, but one thing is sure, he knows how to draw media attention.
Moreover, it’s often media and tabloids that blow these so-called feuds out of proportion. Pique claims that he has a good relationship with players from Real Madrid, and that was somewhat confirmed by his rival Ramos.
