Shakira is being upbeat about her failing relationship with her ex-husband, Gerard Piqué. The well-known Colombian singer recently discussed how she sacrificed her own career and hobbies to support Piqué and his professional football career.

“For a long time, I put my career on hold to be next to Gerard so that he could play football,” revealed Shakira. “There was a lot of sacrifice for love.”

Shakira and Gerard Pique first met in 2010 on the set of the music video for her song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”

The pair confirmed their romance in March 2011. They soon welcomed their first son in 2013. Shakira and Piqué, who share sons Milan, 10, and Sasha, 8, ended their relationship after 11 years in June 2020.

In early 2023, Shakira relocated to Miami, Florida, from Barcelona, Spain. She has explained in the past how this move has benefited her career by allowing her to get in touch with other artists and collaborate on new music more efficiently and quickly.

It also allowed Shakira to build a friendship with Victoria Beckham. The pair have bonded over their experiences as pop stars forming relationships with football stars, as Victoria has been married to sports legend David Beckham since 1999.

“I’ve talked to Victoria quite a few times since I arrived,” said Shakira. “We’re always talking about when I’m going to go watch a match. And I know Milan wants to. We haven’t been able to meet up yet, but we’re on WhatsApp.”

In Shakira’s opinion, there’s a certain core difference between artists and athletes. It simply makes them often incompatible, but with certain rare exceptions like the Beckhams.

“Empathy is key in an artist’s work. An athlete is in a constant state of war and has to avoid empathy at all costs,” Shakira said. “That’s why it’s probably a really bad idea for an artist to hook up with an athlete.”

Shakira spoke with Billboard in September 2023. She explained that her career was her “third priority” while living in Europe. She had “dedicated” her life to caring for her children and partner.