Shakira’s postgame appearance with Spain’s World Cup hero Ferran Torres quickly inspired jokes involving her former partner, Gerard Piqué.
The singer joined Kevin Hart to present Torres with the Michelob ULTRA Superior Player of the Match award after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.
Torres scored the championship-winning goal in the 106th minute after entering the match as a substitute.
Some social-media users interpreted their friendly interaction as flirtatious and immediately referenced Shakira’s history with another Spanish soccer player.
Shakira and Kevin Hart Presented Torres With His Award
⭐️🇪🇸 Ferran Torres receives the FIFA Man of the Match Award for the World Cup Final. 💥 pic.twitter.com/Du6Mp9sib1
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 19, 2026
Shakira and Hart stood with Torres in a public presentation area after the match at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. The three posed for photographers before the forward returned to Spain’s championship celebrations.
Torres held the sponsored Player of the Match trophy between them while Shakira placed an arm behind him for the official photographs. Shakira had already appeared on the field during the first World Cup final halftime show. She performed the tournament song “Dai Dai” with Burna Boy as part of a lineup that also included Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber and Coldplay.
Fans Turned the Photographs Into Piqué Jokes
Some users joked that Torres had won “on and off the pitch,” while others playfully suggested that the match award came with an additional prize.
Several reactions directly referenced Piqué, the former Spain and Barcelona defender with whom Shakira shares two children. One widely circulated joke claimed that the singer had found “another Spanish footballer.”
The Daily Express US documented several of the reactions but did not report evidence of a relationship between Shakira and Torres.
Shakira’s History With Piqué Also Began at a World Cup
Shakira first performed at a World Cup in 2006 and later recorded “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” as the official song of the 2010 competition.
Shakira met Piqué when he appeared in the “Waka Waka” music video. Spain went on to win the 2010 World Cup, with the defender playing a central role in the country’s first championship.
The pair confirmed their relationship in 2011 and welcomed sons Milan and Sasha. After 11 years together, Shakira and Piqué announced their separation in June 2022.