Shakira Says She Put Her Career ‘on Hold’ for Ex Gerard Pique: ‘A Lot of Sacrifice for Love’

Shakira is opening up about her 11-year romance with Gerard Piqué.

In a new interview with The Sunday Times, published Saturday (March 16), the 47-year-old Colombian superstar spoke out about the sacrifices she made during her relationship with the soccer star, 37.

“For a long time I put my career on hold, to be next to Gerard, so he could play football,” said Shakira, whose first new album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women Don’t Cry Anymore), arrives on March 22.

The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer added, “There was a lot of sacrifice for love.”

Shakira and Piqué — who share two children, sons Milan, 11, and Sasha, 9 — announced their split in June 2022.

“We regret to confirm that we are separating,” they said in a joint statement at the time. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”

Shakira met the Barcelona defender while she was promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” The pair confirmed their relationship on social media the following year.

In her Billboard cover story last year, Shakira said she believed in “till death do us part” in regards to her relationship with Piqué.

“My priority was my home, my family. I believed in ’till death do us part.’ I believed that dream,” she said. “My parents have been together, I don’t know, 50 years, and they love each other like the first day, with a love that’s unique and unrepeatable,” she continued. “So I know it’s possible.”

She continued, “It’s what I wanted for myself and my children, but it didn’t happen.”

Last March, the soccer star spoke out publicly for the first time about his high-profile breakup with Grammy-winning artist.

“I won’t say, I don’t want to,” Piqué said when pressed by Spanish media outlet El Pais about how the split had affected him. Instead, he chose to speak about their two young sons.

“Everyone has their responsibility to do what’s best for their kids,” he said. “It’s about protecting them. That’s the job of all parents with their kids. That’s what I’m focused on and that’s my role as a father.”

Meanwhile, Shakira has been outspoken on her side of the breakup, taking hard-hitting aim at Piqué on her Bizarrap collab “BZRP Music Sessions #53,” which rocketed to No. 1 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and ultimately broke 14 Guinness World Records.