Pique says will quit Spain team in political spat

MADRID: Spanish defender Gerard Pique (in pic) has announced that he will end his international career after the 2018 World Cup amid renewed controversy over his

MADRID: Spanish defender Gerard Pique (in pic) has announced that he will end his international career after the 2018 World Cup amid renewed controversy over his political views. The Barcelona star, who supports independence for Catalonia, came under fire again after Sunday’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win against Albania. Pique was criticised in the Spanish media for allegedly removing the national colours from his playing strip. The accusations were the last straw for the defender who has played 85 times for his country. “The World Cup in Russia is going to be my last tournament with the national team...,” he said. “This is not a decision that I have taken today, I have been thinking about it. “But the criticisms today have added to what has happened over the last few years.” Spanish media outlets said Pique had cut short the sleeves of his team unform to remove the national flag colours of red and yellow. The Spanish Football Federation sprang to his defence, pointing out that the Spanish colours did not feature on the team strip worn in Albania. A federation statement said the national colours “only appear on the short-sleeved version of the team strip and not on the long-sleeved model worn by Pique.”

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