Shakira and Piqué Call it Quits

WATCH:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR-djO_IjQw

Colombian singer Shakira and Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué may no longer be together, but that doesn't change the fact that fans worshipped them for more than a decade.

The relatively quiet former couple were an item for 12 years, during which time they welcomed two sons. In June 2022, however, the pair announced that they had called it quits.

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. She is a Colombian of Lebanese descent.Her father William was born in New York City to a family from Lebanon. When he was five, his family moved to Colombia. Her Colombian mother's side has two Spanish surnames, Ripoll and Torrado, the former of which is Catalan and originates from four brothers who immigrated from Catalonia to coastal Colombia in the 19th century. She has also claimed to have distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname "Pisciotti"

Gerard Piqué was raised in a Catalan family. His father, Joan, is a businessman, and his mother, Montserrat, is the director of a spinal injuries hospital in Barcelona. He has a younger brother, Marc.  His grandfather, Amador Bernabeu, is a former vice-president of Barcelona. During the 2017 Catalan independence referendum, he was seen by many as one of the public faces of the pro-independence movement, voting and tweeting his support in Catalan. He subsequently faced backlash from some Spanish fans for his support of the Catalan independence referendum.

From 2011 to 2022, Piqué was in a relationship with the Colombian singer-songwriter.  They met when he appeared in the music video for her single ¨Waka Waka¨, the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Piqué and Shakira share the same birthday, ten years apart. They have two children together. In June 2022, the couple confirmed in a joint statement that they were separating. Piqué has been in a relationship with Clara Chía Martí since October 2022.

June 2022: They call it quits.

To fans' surprise, the singer and soccer star dropped the sudden news that they had broken up after 12 years together. "We regret to confirm that we are separating," they said in a joint statement released by Shakira's PR team. "For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding."

September 2022: Shakira finally opens up about their split.

In a new cover interview for Elle´s October issue, the singer broke her silence  on her private and sudden split from Piqué, and the emotions she's been going through since.

"I try to conceal the situation from our kids as much as I can," Shakira told the magazine. "It's really upsetting for two kids who are trying to process their parents' separation. And sometimes I just feel like this is all a bad dream and that I'm going to wake up at some point. But no, it's real. And what's also real is the disappointment to see something as sacred and as special as I thought was the relationship I had with my kids' father and see that turned into something vulgarized and cheapened by the media. And all of this while my dad has been in the ICU and I've been fighting on different fronts. Like I said, this is probably the darkest hour of my life."

She continued, "For women like me who believe in values like family who had the dream, the big dream of having a family forever, to see that dream broken or shredded into pieces is probably one of the most painful things that you can ever go through. But I think that women, we are resilient. You know, we have this resiliency that is just innate in all of us. And we are meant to nurture and to take care of those who depend on us."

The singer noted that she made life-altering sacrifices throughout their relationship, most notably that of moving to Barcelona with the Spanish athlete so he could continue his professional soccer career at FC Barcelona, even though it would have been better for her music career to live in the United States.

"One of the two had to make that effort and that sacrifice. And I did it. I put my career in second gear and I came to Spain, to support him so he could play football and win titles. And it was a sacrifice of love," Shakira said. "Thanks to that, my kids were able to have a present mom, and I have this amazing bond with them that is unbreakable and that sustains us. You know, that is it. That's all I can say."

October 2022: Shakira releases a heartbreak song about her ex.

The pop star dropped her single " Monotonia" in collaboration with Ozuna.

In it, she sings in Spanish about the end of her and Piqué's relationship: "It wasn't your fault, it wasn't my fault / It was monotony's fault / I never said anything but it hurt / I knew this would happen."

The track was released alongside a stunning video directed by Jaume de la Iguana, during which the singer is shot through the chest by her former love and later walks through the streets carrying her own heart.

November 2022: Shakira and Piqué reach a custody agreement.

"We have signed a custody agreement," Shakira, 45, and Piqué, 35, said in a joint statement obtained by ABC NEWS on Tuesday, November 8. "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."

They added, "We appreciate that their privacy will be respected."

A source close to the singer confirmed to the news outlet that the couple's two sons, Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7, will move permanently from Barcelona (Piqué's home) to Miami (Shakira's family's home).

January 1, 2023: She writes about life after loss.

In a heartbreaking yet empowering New Year's Day Instagram post following her first holiday season without her longtime partner, Shakira wrote about coping with loss, continuing to love even after being betrayed, and healing with time.

"Although our wounds continue to be open in this new year, time has surgeon's hands," she wrote in Spanish. "Even if someone has betrayed us, we have to keep trusting. In the face of contempt, keep valuing yourself. Because there are more good people than bad people. More empathetic people than indolent people. There are fewer who leave and more who stay by our side. Our tears are not a waste, they water the soil where the future will be born and make us more human, so in the midst of heartbreak we can continue to love."

January 2023: Shakira releases an explosive single addressing Gerard Piqué's betrayal and naming his new love.

The singer released an explosive single with Argentine hitmaker Bizarrap, titled "BZRP Music Session #53." In it, she sings about a betrayal from a partner, who left her for someone younger and less intimidating.

"Sorry, baby, I should have thrown you out a while ago / A she-wolf like me is not for rookies / A she-wolf like me is not for guys like you / For guys like you / I'm too good for you and that's why you're with someone just like you," she sings in Spanish.

In the evidently autobiographical bop, Shakira talks about living next to her in-laws and even addresses her tax evasion battle with the Spanish government, which could potentially land her in jail.She also not-so-subtly drops her ex's name, as well as the name of his new girlfriend, Clara Chia Marti..

1. BREAKUPS.: What do you know about these breakups? Complete this table.

	What do you know about who they are ?	What do you know about their breakup?
Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston
Tom Cruis & Nicole Kidman
Ben Affleck& Jennifer Lopez
Charles&Diana
Ike&Tina Turner
Woody Allen&Mia Farrow Ellen Degeneres & Ann Heche

2.Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

1.	relatively	a.	To stop doing something
2.	an item	b.	A strong negative reaction by a large number of people
3.	called it quits	c.	Hidden
4.	descent	d.	A couple who are in a romantic relationship
5.	backlash	e.	Something you are born with.
6.	conceal	f.	Roots.
7.	innate	g.	In comparison to something else.

    Paragraph 2

8.	utmost	h.	A danceable pop song
9.	wound	i.	Novices
10.	contempt	j.	Greatest,maximum,most
11.	indolent	k.	In the middle of something.
12.	midst	l.	Apathetic.
13.	rookies	m.	An injury; a cut
14.	bop	n.	The feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration

3. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. worshipped
2. pair
3. only child
4. mother´s side of the family
5. public face
6. subsequently
7. shredded
8. resilient
9. stunning
10. coping

1. maternal
2. spokesperson
3. torn
4. remarkable
5. get through
6. strong and adaptable
7. afterwards
8. without siblings
9. couple
10. adored

4.Role Play A:

Divide into 2 groups. Pro-Shakira VS Pro-Piqué. 

Tell us why your star is a great role model, why the other one is not, make a list of the positive things your star has while criticizing the other star´s actions.

5. Role Play B : REVENGE

 A.Complete the following proverbs, What do they mean ? 

1.¨Revenge is a dish best xxxxxx cold¨.

2.Xxxxxxx is the best revenge.

3.An eye for an eye and a xxxxx for a xxxxx.

4. An eye for an eye and the world goes xxxxx.

5. When seeking revenge, dig two xxxxxx.

6. Revenge is sweet and not xxxxxxxxx.

B.What do you know about the following and how does revenge appear as a theme in them: Give us examples of great revenge stories.

The Count of Monte Cristo

Gladiator

Kill Bill

Hamlet 

The Lion King 

5. Discussion:

11. Do you think Shakira´s decision to release songs about their breakup therapeutic or financial ?
12. Shakira tells the media to respect her privacy yet attratcs attention with the topic of her songs? Is she being contradictory? Explain.
13. Breakups and heartaches are very popular themes in music. Give some other famous examples.
14. Is Piqué being silent ? Is this a smart stategy from him ?
15. If you were a matchmaker, who would be a good match for Shakira?
16. Shakira left Barcelona for Miami. Compare these 2 cities.
17. What do you think Pique will do now that he is retired? What do you know about his life outside of playing football?
18. Now that Pique and Sharkira are no longer an item, a lot of admirers would like to try their luck.What do you call a man & a woman who is seen as very desirable by others ?
19. Pique is famous around the world. What other Catalan do you think is equally famous or surpasses him as being famous worldwide ?
20. Give examples of celebrities who have used their fame for great causes.
21. Why is the public so fascinated by the private lives of famous people ? Do you think the media is neglecting covering other issues that are important ? Give examples.