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On Saturday, June 4, renowned Colombian pop-star Shakira (aka Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll) and Barcelona centre-back defender footballer Gerard Piqué announced their split after over a decade of being together. The news of their separation comes after rumors of infidelity by Piqué. However, such allegations came from unreliable sources, which have since been mostly debunked.
The former couple released a joint statement to the press, which mentioned:
"We regret confirming that we're splitting up. For the welfare of our children, which is our top priority, we ask for respect for our privacy. Thank you for understanding."
Ripoll and Piqué are parents to two sons, Sasha Piqué Mebarak (born 2015) and Milan Piqué Mebarak (born 2013). The former pair have been together since 2011, after meeting during 2010's FIFA World Cup, which took place in South Africa.
Shakira and Gerard Piqué's separation
Previously in 2017, rumors surrounding the separation of the 45-year-old singer-songwriter and the 35-year-old Spanish footballer spread through the news. However, nothing much came out of the speculation at the time as their split back then was never confirmed.
Meanwhile, amid the recent development of their split, many fans believed that the singer had recently referenced her separation from Piqué in a recent song. In the song titled Te Felicito feat. Rauw Alejandro, the Hips Don't Lie singer used the following lines:
"To complete you I broke into pieces; I was warned, but I didn't listen; I realized that yours is false...It was the drop that overflowed the glass; Don't tell me you're sorry, that sounds sincere, but I know you well and I know you're lying."
Allegations of infidelity debunked
There are also rumors that the Colombian singer instigated the split over Gerard Piqué's alleged affair. However, as reported by sports journalist and FC Barcelona Reshad Rahman, the claims of Piqué's alleged infidelity with fellow Spanish footballer Pablo Gavi's mother were false. These allegations originated from a parody account. As of now, no credible reports have backed such claims. Initially, the parody news was reported by international freelance journalist Melih Esat AÇIL. However, the report has since been deleted.
Shakira and Piqué's separation was coincidentally announced days after the singer's appeal to avoid an alleged tax fraud trial in the Spanish court. As per the prosecutors' claims from Spain, the Barranquilla, Colombia native allegedly failed to pay "14.5 million euros ($15.54 million) in tax on income earned between 2012 and 2014."
Meanwhile, the singer and her attorneys claimed that the singer lived in Catalonia at the time and only returned to Spain in 2015. However, following her return, the pop star said that she has adhered to paying income taxes ever since. Her attorneys stated to Reuters last week:
"Shakira's conduct on tax matters has always been impeccable in all the countries she had to pay taxes (in)."
So far there has been no implication of this legal issue being one of the causes for their seperation. As of now, all allegations surrounding the cause of their separation remain unconfirmed.
