Spanish football legend Iker Casillas has been linked with Colombian singer Shakira in recent days, but he has now come forward to personally slam the reports.

Eagle-eyed social media users started the rumour that the former Real Madrid captain may be dating the ex-partner of FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique. This is because he supposedly followed her Instagram account after she and Pique confirmed their break-up earlier this year.

It may be remembered that Casillas himself is a single man, after announcing his divorce from TV presenter Sara Carbonero last year. The pair had been married since 2016, but they also went public with their relationship coincidentally at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which Spain won.

Pique and Shakira also started dating around that time after he appeared in the music video for the event's theme song, "Waka, Waka (It's Time for Africa)."

The two players had a successful run together with the national team, but on the club level, they were bitter rivals. That is perhaps why fans were so eager to believe a possible rivalry in their personal lives as well.

However, according to Marca, representatives for Casillas have denied the reports. The retired goalkeeper took to his Instagram stories to deny the relationship rumors himself, saying "Tócate las narices...tócate las narices," which is a Spanish expression of indignation or disbelief and can be loosely translated to "unbelievable."

Unfortunately, several media outlets have picked up the story over the past week. He expressed his anger at how news was "invented" and written as a fact only because of a simple Instagram follow.

Meanwhile, Pique and Shakira have not addressed the rumours. Shakira is understood to be single, but Pique has been publicly flaunting his relationship with 23-year-old PR student Clara Chia Marti. The couple have been seen packing on the PDA in Barcelona and in Paris.

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Iker Casillas made his debut for Real Madrid in 1999 Getty
Real Madrid