Shakira and soccer star Gerard Piqué split after 11 years

Shakira and Gerard Piqué have called it quits.

"We regret to confirm that we are separating," the pair said in a joint statement obtained by EW on Saturday. "We ask for privacy at this moment for the well-being of our children, who are our maximum priority. Thank you in advance for your understanding and respect."

The couple have two sons: Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7.

The Colombian pop star and the Spanish soccer phenom met in 2010 when Piqué, 35, appeared in a music video for Shakira's World Cup song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)."

Shakira, 45, used a February appearance on the podcast Planet Weirdo with Holly H to discuss the couple's frequent arguments about punctuality.

"My poor husband-slash-boyfriend-slash-baby-daddy, whatever you want to call him, he has to wait up for me so long. He's tired of waiting up," she said. "'Cause Colombian time is not the same as Catalonian time, Spanish time."

That same month, Shakira and Piqué posted a Valentine's Day greeting on Instagram, wishing her 73.6 million followers well.

Shakira's NBC dance competition show Dancing With Myself premiered on Tuesday. Piqué plays center back for FC Barcelona and is widely considered one of the best defenders in the world.

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