Gerard Pique wants football to make 'radical changes,' even agrees with one European Super League decision

Gerard Pique thinks that football needs to make 'radical changes,' following his retirement, and the Barcelona legend wants the time of a match to be reduced.

Pique caused a surprise last week when he announced that he would hanging up his boots mid season, ending his 18 year playing career.

Despite winning eight La Liga titles and three Champions League titles, his retirement caused Jermaine Pennant and Jamie O'Hara to claim he wasn't an 'all time great.'

Now, it would be highly ironic of me to say you can't have an opinion without playing at that level, but imagine winning what Pique has and being criticised by Pennant and O'Hara of all people!

The centre back made one final appearance after his announcement, starting in Barca's game Almeria, and tearing up as he left the Nou Camp pitch for the last time as a player.

He was on the bench for Xavi's side's game against Osasuna on Tuesday night but didn't make it onto the pitch, as the visitors won 2-1, despite Robert Lewandowski's sending off.

Pique still managed to make a splash though, getting the final red card of his career, despite not playing for a single minute.

Now the Spaniard is making a big splash off the pitch, claiming that football matches shouldn't be as long as their traditional 90 minutes any more.

"You have to try to modify rules that have been established for many years and change them. I understand that it is difficult. It happens in all sports," he said on a Twitch stream with famous Spanish gamer Ibai Llanos.

"You have to find a way to attract attention. I see that there is a lot of content on offer, not just sports. You have a few hours and you want to spend them getting as much information as possible.

"You have to create short and exciting products. Ninety minutes seems like a lot to me. Let’s look for rules that are more entertaining. My feeling is that the product of football is outdated."

Pique with his sons after his final appearance for Barcelona. Image: Alamy

The idea from the former Manchester United player actually echoes those of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, which is a bit worrying.

Perez was at the forefront of the European Super League idea last year, and is one of the few men still driving the idea, despite most of the teams backing out.

The Real chief claimed that young people aren't interested in football, and specifically the length of the games, saying, "We have to analyse why young people, 16- to 24-year-olds, 40 per cent of them aren't interested in football.

"...It's a reality. They say the games are too long. We have to change something if we want football to stay alive."

Pique waves goodbye to the Nou Camp crowd. Image: Alamy

And Pique revealed his own son, Milan, isn't a huge fan of the game, due it's length, adding, "It is much more difficult to attract the young public.

"We have to think about it. I would make very radical changes, but people would not have it."

The 35-year-old actually has a history of changing sports, having previously helped overhaul the Davis Cup, as president of the Kosmos Holding group.