Gerard Piqué, Barça's most successful central defender who leaves looking at the box

The footballer gives the promised 'step to the side' at his worst moment in Can Barça

BARCELONA, Nov. 3 (EUROPA PRESS) -

Gerard Piqué Bernabéu, born in Barcelona on February 2, 1987, retires from professional football at the age of 35, taking a 'step to the side' at his worst moment at a football level and before opening an incurable wound, and leaves being considered by many the best central defender in Blaugrana history, being the most successful with 30 titles, and with a message to the fans in which he assures, looking at the Camp Nou box, that he will return.

The figure of Gerard Piqué leaves no one indifferent, a 'culé' from the cradle formed in the Masia who emigrated to Manchester and who returned in 2008 to form part, being a key player, of what is considered the best Barça in history. But longevity is not always a friend of the epic and, in his last years, he lived through the decline of the team -especially in Europe- until he ended up jaded and being the protagonist of many of the criticisms.

He had a contract until 2024, but he will no longer fulfill it. This Saturday, against Almería and at the Camp Nou, he will play his last game. If he says goodbye on the green, if his coach and former teammate Xavi Hernández so decides, he will leave with 616 official games played -- 397 in the League, 126 in the 'Champions', 65 in the Copa del Rey, 16 in the Spanish Super Cup, 2 of the European Super Cup, 5 of the Europa League and 5 of the Club World Cup--. At the moment, with 52 goals scored and 7 assists distributed.

Some games that have allowed him to add 30 titles with FC Barcelona --8 Leagues (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019), 3 Champions Leagues (2009, 2011 and 2015), 7 Cups of the Rey (2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021), 3 Club World Cups (2010, 2012 and 2016), 3 European Super Cups (2010, 2012 and 2016) and 6 Spanish Super Cups (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019).

He is the fifth player with the most appearances in the history of the club, after making his debut with the first team on August 13, 2008 against Wisla Krakow, in the Champions League, which he won three times. And his last game will be, except for surprise, against Almería, in LaLiga Santander and looking for a provisional leadership after, yes, being in the spotlight for a mistake against Inter Milan that ended up leaving Barça out, for the second consecutive year , of the 'Champions' in group stage.

It would be unfair for that moment, that mistake, to enter Piqué's list of memories at Barça. Gerard Piqué is the best central defender in the club's history --his fellow adventurer Carles Puyol can battle him for that honor-- and the one who has won the most titles, and has done so with a unique character, without fear of being honest and telling the truth in front of the cameras that others would shut up. A footballer who broke molds is leaving.

In fact, he said goodbye in an emotional video, in which he assured that as a child he did not want to be a footballer but a Barça player. In it, he promised to return and he did so looking at the box. And it is that on several occasions he assured that in the future he would like to be president of the 'culé' entity. Until that moment arrives, he manages a club in Andorra and, in addition, is a successful businessman with his company Kosmos, both in the world of video games and organizing an entire Davis Cup of tennis.

This is Gerard Piqué, self-made. As a central defender, his corpulence and height foreshadowed fit problems in a Blaugrana style that, with Pep Guardiola and inspired by Johan Cruyff, made the defensive line move forward a lot and have to run many meters behind in case of loss. Piqué, with his good positioning and tactical wisdom, compensated for his lack of speed and knew how to find his place to be essential in the best Barça. In which he won the triplet and the historic 'sextet'.

A player with a lot of weight in the FC Barcelona record book is leaving. He leaves without becoming first captain - in the summer of 2018 he was third captain for the first time - and being seen by many as a future president. Hence the importance of the farewell message from him looking at the box of what has been his home for fifteen seasons. Fifteen.

A 'Piqué era' in which the Bonanova player has left great moments for his future videos of 'top' plays. The 'culés' could say by heart that they saw Gerard Piqué score the last goal of the 2-6 at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2009, the year of the treble, or dedicate two 'little hands' to his eternal rival, as when he celebrated the 5- 1 of LaLiga 2018/19 at the Camp Nou. Openly, with a big smile, showing his facet as a fan above that of a player.

Together with Carles Puyol, he formed the best pair of central defenders in the history of the club. And, with Puyol and Sergio Ramos, he was also the other dance partner of the best defense in the history of Spain. And it is that yes, despite retiring from the 'Red' before hanging up his boots with Barça, Piqué was also key in the best team, the one that won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2012 European Championship in Ukraine.

Far away are those best football moments. In a difficult year, also on a personal level, Gerard Piqué chooses to say enough is enough, to take that 'step to the side' that he promised on his day when he did not see himself as a starter. And this campaign was not and, if he has played a lot, it is due to injuries to his teammates Jules Koundé or Andreas Christensen, signed this summer. So 'clean slate'. Gerard Piqué is leaving the pitch this Saturday, but he does so looking to the box in the future, in a wait that many hope will be shorter than his long and productive football career.

FC Barcelona: 30 titles

8 Leagues (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019)3 Champions Leagues (2009, 2011 and 2015)7 Copas del Rey (2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021)3 Club World Cups (2010, 2012 and 2016)3 European Super Cups (2010, 2012 and 2016)6 Spanish Super Cup (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019)

Spain: 2 titles

1 European Championship (2012) 1 World Cup (2010)

Manchester United: 3 titles

1 Champions League (2008) 1 Premier League (2008) 1 League Cup (2006)