By any measure, Gerard Pique is one of the best central defenders ever, an omnipresent force in the back lines of Champions League-winning Barcelona sides and World Cup and European Championship-winning Spanish sides. Pique announced his decision to retire from the latter following the 2018 World CUp in Russia, and now everyone is talking about his shirts.
During Spain's World Cup qualifying draw against Italy, Pique wore a shirt that had sleeves that had clearly been altered. Media speculated that Pique, who has been a very vocal supporter of Catalonian independence, cut his sleeves as a protest against the Spanish government, removing a little stripe with the Spanish colors on it. The media reacted as only bored soccer journalists during an international break can: turning nothing into something like a cross between Harry Potter and Kanye West.
The Spanish FA, for its part, came to Pique's defense, saying Pique had cut the sleeves off the long-sleeve version of the Spain jersey, which didn't have the stripe on it, and which is a perfectly normal thing to do.
Here is the full statement from the Royal Spanish Football Federation:
The Royal Spanish Football Federation wants to show their support for the Spanish international Gerard Pique regarding the controversy caused by the cutting of long sleeves of his shirt in the match played against Albania.
Contrary to what was indicated by some malicious comments - that the player cut his sleeves to avoid wearing a top with the national colours - the RFEF wishes to clarify that this trimming only exists in the Adidas short-sleeve shirt, and not in the long sleeves, which is what Pique wore in the match.
This lack of trimming can be seen on the shirt of his partner, Sergio Ramos, who also wore long sleeves. The player cut his sleeves with the sole purpose of playing more comfortably, like other internationals have done on many occasions.
Unfair criticism of Gerard Pique has caused him to declare that he will leave the Spanish team after the World Cup in Russia. "I've tried everything but I cannot take any more, today with the sleeves is the straw that breaks the camel's back. They've made it so I've lost the excitement of coming here, and although after Russia I'll only be 31, I'll leave."
It sure looks like Pique isn't so much fed up with the Spain/Catalonia thing but fed up with people scrutinizing every little thing he does then finding ways to criticize him for it, and we don't blame him. And, with a World Cup and two European Championships won, what else does he have to accomplish?
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus
