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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Neymar Jr. has paid tribute to his former Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique, who announced his retirement this week.
The central defender, who made 615 appearances for the Blaugrana, has called time on his legendary career midway through the season. The former Spain international was evidently surplus to requirements under Xavi Hernandez at Barcelona, with his performances no longer up to standard.
His former teammate Neymar has dubbed the World Cup winner a 'legend' on his Instagram story, in a subtle yet touching tribute to his former colleague.
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The Brazilian ace spent four incredibly successful seasons at Camp Nou. It culminated in the Catalonian giants winning the 2015 UEFA Champions League.
Neymar formed a deadly trio involving Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, while Pique marshaled the defense to help build a near-unstoppable team. The forward eventually left Camp Nou in 2017 for PSG in a world-record transfer of €222 million. However, he has clearly not forgotten about his time with Pique.
The Spanish defender has ended a career that has seen him win a Premier League title and a Champions League trophy with Manchester United.
He also won eight La Liga championships, seven Copa del Reys, three Club World Cups, and three Champions League trophies with Barcelona. On the international stage, Pique won the European Championships with Spain in 2012 and the FIFA World Cup in 2010.
Gerard Pique posts emotional video announcing Barcelona retirement as Neymar pays tribute
The shock announcement of the Spaniard's retirement has caused a stir in Spanish football. The Barcelona legend had nearly two years left on his deal with the club. The 35-year-old appears to have left a lot of money on the table but explained his decision in an emotional video.
The Blaugrana youth academy graduate posted a well-produced video which stated (as translated by BBC Sport):
"I've always said that there would not be any other team after Barca and that's how it will be. Football has given me everything. Barca has given me everything. You, culers [fans], have given me everything. And now that all that kid's [himself] dreams have come true I want to tell you I have decided that now is the time to bring this journey to its end."
He also teased that he would one day return to Camp Nou in some capacity, as he stated:
"You know me, sooner or later I will be back. I'll see you at Camp Nou. Long live Barca. Always."
