When did Shakira split with ex-husband Gerard Piqué? Relationship timeline explored as soccer player calls split with Clara Chia

Shakira's ex-husband, Gerard Piqué, made headlines for his recent split with his girlfriend, Clara Chia. This news has sparked discussions online about the cause of the breakup. But at the same time, as the buzz around this topic grows, many netizens are taking a trip down memory lane to revisit another famous ex of Piqué. Shakira and Gerard were together for more than a decade before their highly publicized split.

While Shakira and the Spanish former professional football player were not married, they share two sons together: Milan and Sasha.

Keep reading to explore Shakira and Gerard Piqué's relationship timeline before their split in 2022.

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Detailed timeline of Shakira and Gerard Piqué's relationship

Shakira and Gerard met in 2010 when she was filming for her South African World Cup music video. Piqué had a mini cameo that can be seen at the 1:11 timestamp in the official music video. This sparked the beginning of their love story.

The couple only made their relationship public in June 2011. Shakira posted a photo of herself and Piqué, with the caption:

"Les presento a mi sol," which translates to "I present to you my sun" in English.

By May 2011, their relationship was made full-blown public with the two showing some PDA on stage, during her The Sun Comes Out World Tour. While the Colombian singer-songwriter has been seen with Piqué numerous times in public, they officially debuted at a red carpet event together at the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or Awards gala in Switzerland.

In September 2012, Shakira posted a photo on Instagram announcing that she and her footballer boyfriend are expecting their first child. She captioned the photo:

"Podría estar 9 meses más así! I could have another 9 months like this! Shak," which roughly translates to "I could have another 9 months like this! Shak".

On January 22, 2013, Shakira and Gerard welcomed their baby boy. The singer even shared the meaning behind her son's name on her website. She wrote:

"The name Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn), means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification. Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth."

She also shared the kind of father Gerard was. She said:

"Thank God [Milan's] father has been really involved. He's been amazing. The baby spends as much time with me as he does with his dad. He's the kind of dad who is full hands-on. He changes diapers; he enjoys bathing him. That's a real help for me."

A year later, Shakira again shares the wonderful news that she and Gerard are expecting their second child on Facebook. Sasha Piqué Mebarak, their second son, was born on January 29, 2015. Shakira posted this joyous moment on her Instagram with the caption:

"'Tengo los pies de papi, parece que hubiese estado jugando futbol toda mi vida / I have Daddy's feet, it looks like I've been playing football my whole life'," she wrote in Espanol and English.

She also gave her fans and followers the meaning of the name behind Sasha. She wrote:

"The name Sasha is of Greek and Russian descent and means' defender of mankind' and 'warrior,'"

Shakira has always documented the big moments in their life. In 2018, when Gerard Piqué announced his retirement from football, she posted a photo of them together and captioned the Instagram post in Spanish:

"Love, finished the stage that we will always keep in our hearts. One of the happiest moments of my life has also been seeing you win in 2010 with the national team and celebrate with Spain champions! Shak," reads the translated version of the caption.

Shakira and Gerard's relationship was not always sunshine and rainbows. They had a few rough patches, too. During an interview with The Guardian, Shakira opened up about how her partner saw her at her worst while she was suffering from a vocal cord hemorrhage. She said:

"I was not positive. I was so pessimistic. I was a bitter person to be around. Gerard saw the worst of me."

After being together for nine years and having two children, people were curious about why the couple is not married. During an interview with CBS News magazine 60 Minutes, Shakira addressed the question with her longtime boyfriend at her side. She explained:

"To tell you the truth, marriage scares the sh*t out of me. I don't want him to see me as the wife. I'd rather him see me as his girlfriend.

She continued to elaborate:

"His lover, his girlfriend. It's like a little forbidden fruit, you know? I wanna keep him on his toes. I want him to think that anything's possible depending on behavior," she added in jest.

During another interview, she also shared one of the main and biggest reasons why they fight. She started by saying:

"My poor husband, slash boyfriend, slash baby daddy, whatever you want to call him, he has to wait up for me so long. He's tired of waiting up... Cause Colombian time is not the same as Catalonian time, Spanish time. His mind is structured like that and mine … I've become a lot more punctual since I met him. The times that we actually fight is because I'm late and he's waiting up."

By June 2022, rumors of a split started swirling around. By then, the couple had been together for 11 years. On June 4, 2022, the couple shared a joint statement that said:

"We regret to confirm that we are separating. We ask for privacy at this moment for the well-being of our children, who are our maximum priority. Thank you in advance for your understanding and respect"

Shakira has shared how difficult the split was for her and their children. She mentioned how she tried to keep the news away from her sons, but it was not possible because they

"...hear things in school from their friends or they come across some disagreeable, unpleasant news online, and it just affects them," the singer explained.

Following the breakup, Shakira has tried to process her breakup through songs. She released a single with Ozuna, titled Monotonía. The title of the song translates to "lack of variety in anything" or "boredom".

By November 2022, a custody arrangement between the two parents was reached, and they shared a statement with PEOPLE:

"Our sole objective is to provide our children with the utmost security and protection and hope that they can continue with their lives in a safe and calm environment. We appreciate that their privacy will be respected."

The Colombian singer released two more songs that are supposedly directed at her ex-boyfriend. These tracks are titled BZRP Music Session #53 and TQG. However, in an interview with Enrique Acevedo of Canal Estrellas, she revealed that she finally feels "complete" and "enough".

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Shakira and Gerard Piqué's relationship had many beautiful moments, as well as real-life challenges. They share two sons together and are doing the best that they can for their children, despite not being together. After Piqué's recent split from his girlfriend, netizens are wondering if the singer and former professional footballer will get back together.