“Seems unbreakable”: Shakira reflects on ex Gerard Piqué, life changing heartbreak and a historic 2026 World Cup return

Shakira is getting ready to make history once again. The global music star has opened up about her 30-year career, her personal struggles, and her upcoming performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Shakira said that despite spending three decades in music, she still feels like she is only getting started. The 49-year-old singer will co-headline the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. At the same time, she is continuing her successful Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour and celebrating several major milestones in both her personal and professional life.Looking back on the challenges she has faced, Shakira said difficult moments helped her become stronger. The singer went through a highly publicized split from former Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué, faced a long legal battle in Spain, and worked through those experiences while raising her two sons. Despite everything, she says those lessons shaped who she is today.

Shakira talks World Cup history, Gerard Piqué split and finding strength through hard times

Speaking to PEOPLE, Shakira reflected on how much she has learned over the years.

“I always thought that I was more fragile or weaker than what life proved me to be,” she said.The Colombian singer believes every experience, even painful ones, can teach something valuable. “Behind every experience in life, there’s always a lesson, and we have to be grateful for all those lessons, even for the people that leave you with scars,” she said. “Because they just make us better.”Shakira’s new song “Dai Dai” with Nigerian singer Burna Boy is the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The singer has also decided that all royalties from the track will go to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which helps children around the world get access to education and soccer opportunities.“It’s a message for every child who’s been told that their dream is too big,” Shakira said.The World Cup has played a special role in her life. She performed “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” at the 2010 World Cup, where she met Gerard Piqué. The couple later welcomed two sons, Milan and Sasha, before ending their relationship in 2022.Shakira also spoke about turning heartbreak into music. Her hit collaboration with Bizarrap, released in 2023, became one of the biggest songs of her career.

“It was just pure catharsis. I really needed to write about what I was going through and not have any censor,” she said.The singer recently received another boost when Spain’s National Court cleared her of tax fraud claims linked to her 2011 income. Now, with a record-breaking tour, a World Cup performance, and new music, Shakira says she has no plans to slow down.“You know what’s strange? I’ve done this professionally 30 years already,” she said. “And it feels to me like I’m just starting.”