Barcelona and Spain midfield icon Sergio Busquets has confirm his retirement at the end of the MLS season, he has decided he will retire at the end of the season with Inter Miami.
In an emotional Instagram post on Thursday, the 37-year-old put paid to the speculations about the end of an extraordinary 20-year career.
“I feel that the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional soccer player. Almost 20 years of my career have been the realization of an incredible story that has always been my dream,” Busquets said. “These will be my last months on the pitch. I am stopping my career very happily, proudly, satisfied, and most of all, thankful.
Busquets has been great for Inter Miami since he came on board in 2023. He has played 45 matches in the current season and assisted the team 10 times. The Spaniard was the cornerstone of the club’s first major trophy, the 2023 Leagues Cup victory, which was followed by the 2024 Supporters’ Shield. Now, he desires to finish off his career by helping the Herons win the MLS Cup for the first time.
The calm, smart and positional skill of Busquets were the factors that separated him from the rest of the football world when people talked about the greatest defensive midfielders ever. For Barcelona, he racked up 722 appearances, netting 18 times and assisting 46 in an era that shone brightly. His awards roster includes 9 La Liga titles, 3 UEFA Champions Leagues and 3 FIFA Club World Cups and he was a major contributor to Barcelona’s haul of 34 trophies.
Busquets has played in the midfield for Spain on 143 occasions having been the master of Spain’s golden era. The player who was so important in winning the 2010 World Cup by Spain and their success at Euro 2012 is now a memorable midfield trio with Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
Busquets became a member of Miami along with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez after he stopped playing international football in 2022 and left Barcelona in 2023.