The Players' Tribune
Gerard Piqué

Gerard Piqué

FC Barcelona and Spanish national team

Gerard Piqué is widely considered to be one of the best defenders of his era and was an integral member of the Spanish national team’s golden generation, a nucleus of players who were central to Spain winning the World Cup in 2010 and the UEFA European championship in 2012. The center back made his international debut in 2009, and went on to play for Spain 102 times before retiring from the national team after the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Barcelona native began his playing career in the fabled youth system of FC Barcelona. He signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in 2004 when he was 17. He was loaned to Real Zaragoza two years later and returned to United for the 2007–08 season, when the team won both the Premier League championship and the UEFA Champions League title. He signed with FC Barcelona in 2008. At Barca, Piqué helped the club win the treble (championships in La Liga, the Spanish Cup and Champions League) in his first season. The club also won the Champions League in 201–11, and repeated the treble in 2014–15.

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