'I met the love of my life at the World Cup': Shakira thanks football for bringing her and Gerard Pique together as she prepares to perform at final
Pop singer Shakira has thanked football for changing her life.
Speaking
ahead of the World Cup closing ceremony concert on Sunday she said she
‘will never forget that I met the love of my life at the World Cup.’
The
37-year-old met her boyfriend Spain defender Gerard Pique when
promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, Waka Waka - Time for Africa, and
the couple have an 18-month-old son.
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Thank you football! Shakira headed to the
Maracana pitch ahead of Sundays's FIFA World Cup final Germany vs
Argentina where she will perform during the closing ceremony
Shakira,
who will perform before Argentina take on Germany, said that ‘if it
wasn't for the World Cup my son Milan would not be here.’
The singer is due to perform La La La (Brazil 2014) with Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown in Maracana Stadium
Shakira also opened up about how Pique felt about his team and defending champion Spain’s early exit.
She teased: ‘I have a way of consoling him.’
What it means to her: Shakira was very candid
about her relationship with the beautiful game during a press conference
on Saturday
On the ball: The singer showed off her football skill on the Maracana pitch
Natural: Shakira looked stunning in simple jeans with a blue lace cardigan
Previously
speaking about her relationship to football, she said: 'I have an
intricate relationship with football for obvious reasons, and I truly
understand what the World Cup means to so many people, myself included.’
On Saturday the mother-of-one took to the pitch to practise her ball skills alongside Wyclef Jean and Carlos Santana.
Keeping her well-known curves under wraps she wore a pair of black jeans with a black tank top and a blue lace cardigan.
Hats off to her: Shakira was seen earlier in the day wearing a blue fedora style hat
Her
blonde hair was worn loose in a side parting and she kept her make-up
to a minimum, showing off her natural beauty as she enjoyed a kick
about.
Also
set to appear at the final will be Mexican-American guitarist Carlos
Santana, Haitian-American hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean and Brazilian
singer Alexandre Pires, who will perform the official anthem of the 2014
World Cup "Dar Um Jeito," Portuguese for We Will Find A Way.
The
closing ceremony will also feature a samba performance from one of the
Rio de Janeiro schools that participate in the city's famous Carnival
celebrations.
Father of her child: Shakira couldn't be happier about having baby Milan with Gerard
