Former Spain and Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets will retire from football at the end of the current Major League Soccer (MLS) season, his club Inter Miami confirmed on Thursday.
Busquets, 35, rose through the youth system at Barcelona and went on to spend 18 years at the club. He made his senior debut in 2008 and became a central figure in one of the most successful eras in the club’s history. In 2023, he moved to Inter Miami where he was reunited with former teammates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez.
He made more than 700 appearances for Barcelona, winning nine LaLiga titles and three Champions League trophies. On the international stage, he earned 143 caps for Spain and was a key part of the side that won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, followed by the European Championship in 2012, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.
In a video shared on Instagram, Busquets said: “I feel like the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional footballer. It has been almost 20 years of enjoying this incredible story I always dreamed of. I am retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all, grateful. Thank you all very much, see you soon.”
Regarded as one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation, Busquets brought calmness, intelligence and precision to the role. After joining Inter Miami, the 37-year-old added the Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield to his collection of honours. He is set to play the final matches of his career in the upcoming MLS playoffs.
