Pique, adios to a player that gave his all in a red shirt

Gerard Pique has closed the door on the Spain national side which opened when he was 15 and the writing was on the walls almost two years ago when he was accused of cutting the national team shirt in Albania.

He has been bonded to the most successful period in the history of the national team, being a key player as Spain won the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

Aside from purely football, Pique has perhaps been the most controversial figure to play for Spain. Always outspoken and someone that causes debate.

It has been mentally taxing for him to play for Spain and in particular since his claim of 'with you it all started' when Pique brought up Cristiano Ronaldo's birthday celebration in Barcelona's 2015 treble celebrations.

There is no doubt that all the fuss over Pique has a lot more to do with Real Madrid vs Barcelona than anything political and no one can say that they have heard him say that he wants an independent Catalonia. Last October he had a press conference where he did not hide away and answered questions directly.

He may have made mistakes, got himself in trouble but there is no doubt that he gave his all in every 102 matches for Spain. He was at fault for the penalty in Moscow but he also had many good moments like the goal against Turkey at the Bernabeu and then there was Johannesburg, Kiev, the header in Toulouse, the goal in Zenica that he dedicated to the Spanish soldiers in Bosnia.

Some will celebrate him going, they have the right, but it should not be forgotten what he has done for the national team.