Shakira and Piqué sign child custody agreement in Barcelona court

The City of Justice, the mammoth complex that houses Barcelona’s courts, has two doors. When a public figure comes to testify or to stand trial, the press must stand at one or the other entrance, which gives the celebrity at least a chance to avoid being snapped by the cameras. But when the occasion requires it, the press redoubles its efforts: a reporter, a photographer and a cameraman are placed on both sides. That’s what happened on Thursday, when Gerard Piqué, 35, and Shakira, 45, signed their child custody agreement in court.

Shakira and Piqué entered the complex via the separate entrances. The pair, who were together for nearly 12 years, have not been photographed together since announcing their separation. Almost a month ago, the Colombian singer and the former Barça soccer player announced they had reached a child custody agreement. Under the deal, Shakira will live in Miami with the couple’s two children, Sasha, 11, and Milan, nine. Piqué will be able to see them as often as he wants, and the expenses of these trips will be borne by both of them, according to the terms. “We have signed an agreement that guarantees the welfare of our children and will be ratified in court as part of a mere formal procedure,” they said in a joint statement.

The procedure took place on Thursday in the Barcelona courtroom. Half an hour after entering the building, Shakira and Piqué left the City of Justice from the separate exits, without making any comment to the press.

Shakira and Piqué announced their separation at the beginning of June 2022. “We regret to confirm that we are separating. For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we request respect for our privacy. Thank you for your understanding,” the statement read.

The two met in the summer of 2010 before the soccer World Cup in South Africa. Shakira was performing at the event, while Piqué was one of the stars that led Spain to win the coveted title and become world champion. Two years later, in September 2012, the couple announced they were expecting their first child: Milan, who was born in January 2013. Just two years later, Sasha, their second child, was born.

Since announcing their separation, Piqué and Shakira have refrained from speaking publicly about their breakup. The Colombian singer has only given one interview in which she spoke about the difficulty of juggling her personal and professional life. “He [Piqué] would either end his contract with the Barcelona soccer team and move with me to the United States, where my career is, or I would have to do that. One of the two had to make that effort and sacrifice. And I did it. I put my career in second place,” she told Elle magazine in September. “I came to Spain to support him, so he could play soccer and win championships. And it was an act of love.” But she added: “Independently of how things ended or how Gerard and I feel as exes, he is the father of my children.”