shakira and gerard pique
The pair have been together for over a decade (Picture:Getty/EPA)

Shakira has confirmed her split with her footballer partner Gerard Piqué after more than a decade together.

The Columbian singer, 45, has two children with Piqué, 35, who has played for FC Barcelona since 2008 and made over 600 appearances for the club.

In a joint statement released via her publicist, the pair said: ‘We regret to confirm that we are parting ways. 

‘For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect their privacy.  Thank you for your understanding.’

The pair met back in 2010 while she filmed the video for her World Cup song Waka Waka for the competition in South Africa. 

While they never married, they were together for 11 years and share children Milan, nine, and Sasha, seven. 

gerard pique and shakira
The pair at Camp Nou in 2015 (Picture: Getty)

Talking about how their relationship began, Piqué said at the time: ‘It all started when we were in South Africa and I wrote to her.’

He was recently quizzed by Gary Neville on why he’d never tied the knot with the Hips Don’t Lie singer.

During an appearance on The Overlap podcast, he said: ‘No, I’m not married. It’s her mentality.

‘I like it how we are right now. We have two kids, nine and seven right now. We work good as a couple.’

It comes just hours after Shakira spoke out after worried fans spotted she had been seen in an ambulance recently.

Shakira reveals dad had a bad fall
She revealed her father suffered a bad fall last weekend (Picture: Twitter)

Alongside a picture with her father, William Mebarak Chadid, she wrote on Twitter: ‘Guys, I’m getting a lot of messages of concern that I was seen in an ambulance in Barcelona recently.

‘I just wanted to let you know that those photos are from last weekend, when my dad unfortunately had a bad fall and I accompanied him in an ambulance, where he is recovering now.

She went on to thank fans for their supportive messages, concluding: ‘Please do send all your best wishes his way and thank you, as always, all of you for the love and support.’

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE : Katie Price is the proudest mum as Junior Andre performs debut single at family Platinum Jubilee party

MORE : AJ Odudu ‘cried for days’ after pulling out of Strictly final over major foot injury: ‘I’m still recovering’