FORMER Spain and Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets has announced that he will end his professional career at the end of the Major League Soccer season in December.
The Inter Miami midfielder, 38, won 32 major honours in 18 years at Barcelona, including nine La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions Leagues.
He made 143 appearances for Spain and was part of the side that won the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship.
Busquets joined Inter Miami in 2023, linking up with former Barca team-mates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.
“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,” Busquets said in a video posted on social media today.
“I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all, grateful. Thank you all very much, see you soon.”
Busquets joined Barcelona in 2005 as a youth player, progressing to Barca’s B side before making his first-team debut under manager Pep Guardiola in a 2008 league game against Racing Santander.
He played 722 matches in total – the third-most appearances in the club’s history.
His current club Inter Miami issued a statement confirming Busquets retirement.
“Inter Miami CF announces that Sergio Busquets will retire at the end of the current season, with the MLS playoffs marking the final matches of his professional career,” the club stated.
“Since joining Inter Miami CF in 2023, Busquets has been instrumental in the club’s continued growth, contributing his vision and quality in midfield, as well as his experience and leadership, and playing a role in winning both the Supporters’ Shield and the Leagues Cup.
“The team now looks forward to his contribution in the push for its objectives during the final stretch of the campaign, which will bring to a close an extraordinary career that saw him claim numerous titles and accolades with FC Barcelona and the Spanish National Team, earning recognition as one of the greatest midfielders in football history.”
Busquets made his international debut in 2009 and retired in December 2022 as the country’s third most capped player ever.