Sergio Busquets announced he will retire from professional football after the MLS season ends.
The Inter Miami star ends a decorated career that transformed Barcelona and Spain’s midfield dominance.
Sergio Busquets, former Spain and Barcelona captain, has announced he will retire from professional football at the end of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season in December.
The Inter Miami midfielder, 38, bows out after an illustrious career spanning nearly two decades, during which he won 32 major honors with Barcelona, including nine La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies.
Busquets, widely regarded as one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation, made 143 appearances for Spain, helping La Roja clinch the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012.
Joining Barcelona’s youth ranks in 2005, Busquets rose through the academy before making his senior debut in 2008 under then-manager Pep Guardiola. He went on to feature 722 times for the Catalan giants, the third-most appearances in the club’s history.
He became an integral part of Barça’s tiki-taka era, forming a legendary midfield trio with Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta.
Busquets moved to Inter Miami in 2023, linking up with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez.
In a farewell video shared on social media, Busquets said:
“I feel like the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional footballer. It’s been almost 20 years of enjoying this incredible story I always dreamed of. I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all, grateful. Thank you all very much, see you soon.”
Inter Miami confirmed their place in the MLS Cup play-offs on Wednesday with a 4-0 win over New York City FC. The play-offs begin on 22 October and conclude with the final on 6 December, which could mark Busquets’ final professional match.
Busquets retired from international football in December 2022 as Spain’s third-highest appearance maker.
