Shakira and Gerard Pique split | Entertainment

Shakira and Gerard Pique have announced their separation.

The ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ hitmaker and the Barcelona footballer had been dating for 11 years and share sons Milan, nine, and Sasha, seven, together.

The pair said in a joint statement: “We regret to confirm that we are separating. 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.”

Shakira, 45, and Gerard, 35, first met on the set of her music video for ‘Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)’, which was the official theme song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The Colombian pop star claimed early this year that she and Gerard didn’t see eye-to-eye on punctuality which led to arguments between the pair.

Shakira said: “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.

“Cause Colombian time is not the same as Catalonian time, Spanish time.”

The news comes as the singer faces a trial over alleged tax fraud charges in Spain after she lost an appeal last month.

Prosecutors claim that she failed to pay up to 14.5 million euros in tax on the income she earned between 2012 and 2014, although Shakira’s legal team insists that she has done nothing wrong and have vowed to keep defending her case.

They said in a statement: “Shakira’s conduct on tax matters has always been impeccable in all the countries she had to pay taxes and she has trusted and followed faithfully the recommendations of the best specialists and advisers.”