Sergio Busquets to Retire from Football at End of MLS Season

Former Spain and Barcelona captain Sergio Busquets has announced he will hang up his boots when the Major League Soccer campaign concludes in December, Sport360NG reports.

The 38-year-old midfielder, currently with Inter Miami, enjoyed a glittering career spanning nearly two decades, winning 32 trophies with Barcelona, including nine La Liga crowns and three Champions League titles.

On the international stage, Busquets earned 143 caps for Spain and played a key role in their golden era, lifting the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship. He brought his international career to a close in December 2022 as the nation’s third-most capped player.

Busquets joined Inter Miami in 2023, reuniting with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez.

“I feel the moment has arrived to say farewell to my professional career,” Busquets said in a social media video. “It’s been nearly 20 years of living a dream. I retire happy, proud, fulfilled, and most of all grateful. Thank you all, see you soon.”

Having joined Barcelona’s academy in 2005, Busquets rose through the ranks to make his senior debut under Pep Guardiola in 2008 against Racing Santander. He went on to feature in 722 matches, the third-highest appearance tally in the club’s history.

His current side, Inter Miami, have already sealed a place in the MLS play-offs following a 4-0 victory over New York City FC on Wednesday. The play-offs begin on 22 October and will conclude with the MLS Cup final on 6 December.