Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Yesterday, Catalan football club FC Barcelona officially announced the Spanish centre-back Gerard Piqué signed a contract extension which runs through June 2022. “If I complete this contract I will be 14 years as a professional at Barcelona” ^{((es)) Spanish language: Si cumplo este contrato, serán 14 años de carrera profesional en el Barça} , the Spanish international said after the contract extension.

30-year-old Piqué joined Blaugrana through the youth ranks of La Masia in 1997 and made his professional debut for Barcelona on August 13, 2008. In his tenure at Camp Nou, the Spaniard international has won three UEFA Champions League titles, six Spanish LaLiga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies and three FIFA Club World Cups.

Making his international debut in 2009, a year after he returned to Spain after spending four years at Manchester United, Piqué has 94 international caps, and has won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, as well as the UEFA Euro 2012 trophy with La Roja. He won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United as well.

Piqué has played 425 games in the Catalan jersey and has won 25 trophies with the Barcelona club, five less than Andrés Iniesta and Lionel Messi, who have won the largest number of trophies in the Catalan colours.

After signing the contract extension, Piqué said, “I am really happy to be celebrating my extension because this is my home and since my return, my desire has been to end my career here” ^{((es)) Spanish language: Estoy muy feliz de celebrar mi renovación porque aquí es mi casa y mi deseo ha sido retirarme aquí desde que he vuelto} . He added, “I can only see myself in a Barça shirt. If I had not extended my contract then I would have stopped playing because I only play football because I play for Barça” ^{((es)) Spanish language: Sólo me veo vistiendo la camiseta del Barça. Si no hubiera renovado dejaría de jugar al fútbol porque sólo me veo jugando con esta camiseta} .

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