Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said he had spoken with coach Luis Enrique about plans to stop defending the Spanish National Team.
The experienced defender who has played 102 times and scored five goals for La Furia Roja has expressed his desire to take off the national team uniform since 2016. Among the centre-back’s international honours are the 2010 World Cup and a Euro 2012 winner’s medal. But his international career has rarely been smooth sailing, the cause of Pique’s wish to finish his career with the Spanish national team was criticism from the audience and the media he often received.
Players who also presented the World Cup in 2010 and the 2012 European cup had an unfavorable relationship with several groups of supporters related to Barcelona and Real Madrid’s rivalry and support for the Catalonia referendum.
Pique claimed to have spoken with Enrique who became a Spanish coach replacing Julen Lopetegui.
“I spoke with Luis Enrique a few days ago. He called me and I told him the decision had been taken for a long time and I had thought about it carefully,” Pique said as quoted by Marca.
Even before the World Cup 2018, Pique had hinted that Russia 2018 would be his last major tournament as part of La Roja.
“It would make sense to leave it after the World Cup,” he had signalled.
“I have had a wonderful time with the national team with the chance to win the World Cup and European Cup. Now I want to focus on Barcelona. I still have some more time there and I will enjoy it,” continued the player who once dressed in Manchester United.
Pique became the second player to quit the Spanish national team after the 2018 World Cup. Previously Andres Iniesta also announced his resignation after Spain were eliminated from the 2018 World Cup.
The 31-year-old player mad his debut in the Spanish national team in February 2009 in the match against England.
In 10 years, Pique has always been part of the Spanish national team and is always trusted by Vicente del Bosque and Julen Lopetegui and Fernando Hierro.
