Gerard Pique publicly shared bank statement to show what elite footballer's pay slip looks like

Barcelona legend Gerard Pique once shared his bank statement in a bid to respond to false claims about his wages.

Pique, 38, enjoyed a stellar career playing for the likes of Manchester United, Real Zaragoza and Barcelona.

In total, the Spaniard made 667 appearances across all competitions, scoring 57 goals.

Pique lifted nine La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues among other trophies.

Meanwhile, the central defender was capped 102 times by Spain, scoring five goals and won the World Cup in 2010.

Back in January 2020, Pique was one of three Barca players who had their wages supposedly 'leaked' by Spanish TV3 programme Onze.

The now-retired defender strongly denied the claim that he was on a large salary during his time playing for Barcelona and shared his bank statement on X, formerly Twitter, which revealed half his annual pay.

The payslip shows that he earned £4 million (around £75,000 per week) for the year 2021.

Spanish journalist Lluis Canut, who worked for the Spanish TV station, had claimed he was in fact earning £11.7 million for just one season.

Underneath the screenshot of his bank statement, Pique wrote: "Characters like this charging public television to defend their friends. Here is 50 per cent of my payroll collected on December 30th. Have some respect for yourself."

Pique posted his payslip online. Image credit: X/GerardPique

Following the claims made by Canut, Barcelona also released their own statement of denial.

They wrote: "In relation to the manifestations of Mr Lluis Canut carried out yesterday in the programme 'Onze' of TV3, FC Barcelona wants to clarify the following:

“1. The information on the salaries of certain first team players has not, in any case, been supplied by the club and its origin is unknown.

“2. In any case, the amounts referred to in the information are erroneous and do not conform to reality. Furthermore, in the case of the first three players referred to [Pique, Busquets and Alba], it gives fixed amounts which, as the sums involved are based on variables, will possibly never be reached.

“3. It is also false that the aforementioned players have only deferred their salary. Pique, Busquets and Alba gave up part of their salary when they signed contract renewals last summer.”

Canut made the same claim about Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who both played for Barcelona at the time.