Gerard Pique has won the Merit Esportiu Catala prize for promoting sports in Catalonia. The Spaniard was recognised for his 'commitment to Catalan sport and his international influence'.
"When I found out that you want to give me this prize, I thought about everything that happened to me until the moment I was in front of you," Pique has said.
"At 17, I decided to go to Manchester [to play for United]. This was an important decision for my career. One starts to appreciate things when they lose them. I realised that I am a privileged person when I came back to Barca after spending 4 years in another country.
"When I returned home, I realised that being Catalan is a privilege because Catalonia has everything and it should be appreciated. We have a wonderful country," the 33-year-old concluded.
Apart from representing Catalonia in international friendlies, Pique also owns Andorra FC who play in Segunda Division B.
