Sergio Busquets, the steady midfielder who became the heartbeat of Barcelona’s greatest generation and Spain’s golden era, will retire from professional football at the end of the 2025 Major League Soccer season, Inter Miami announced Thursday.
The 37-year-old confirmed the news in an emotional Instagram video, reflecting on a career that spanned nearly two decades and brought him 37 trophies, more than 850 professional matches and a reputation as one of the most influential defensive midfielders the game has ever seen.
“It’s been almost 20 years of enjoying this incredible story I always dreamed of,” Busquets said. “I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled and above all, grateful.”
Busquets’ story began in Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, where his rise was not marked by dazzling flair but by a quiet mastery of space and timing.
He made his senior debut in 2008 under Pep Guardiola and within months had earned a starting role in a side that changed modern football.
As part of the legendary midfield trio with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, Busquets became the silent balance in a team that relied on short passes, suffocating possession and relentless pressing.
While Messi delivered the fireworks and Xavi dictated tempo, Busquets provided the glue, breaking up opposition attacks and transitioning play with an economy of touches that belied the complexity of his role.
Over 15 years in Barcelona’s first team, Busquets made 722 appearances and collected an extraordinary haul of silverware, including nine La Liga titles and three Champions League triumphs.
He was the constant presence during a run that many consider the most dominant era any club has enjoyed in the modern game.
Guardiola once summed it up best: “If I could be a player now, I’d want to be like Busquets.”
Internationally, Busquets became just as indispensable.
He made his Spain debut in 2009 and went on to earn 143 caps, anchoring La Roja during their historic run of back-to-back major tournament victories.
He was on the pitch when Spain lifted their first World Cup in South Africa in 2010, playing every knockout match and two years later repeated the feat at Euro 2012, again playing every minute as Spain crushed Italy in the final to defend their crown.
Busquets embodied Spain’s philosophy: calm under pressure, disciplined in shape and relentless in reading the flow of the game.
Vicente del Bosque, Spain’s World Cup-winning coach, once responded to critics questioning Busquets’ inclusion with a famous line: “If I could be a footballer, I would want to be Sergio Busquets. He can play.”
For more than a decade, Spain’s midfield dominance was synonymous with his presence.
As Xavi and Iniesta faded from the international stage, Busquets remained the bridge to a new generation, playing his final tournament at the 2022 World Cup before announcing his retirement from national duty.
In 2023, Busquets left Barcelona after 18 years and crossed the Atlantic to join Inter Miami.
There, he reunited with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and later Luis Suarez in a reunion that transformed David Beckham’s club from an MLS afterthought into a powerhouse.
Busquets’ influence was immediate.
He orchestrated play as Miami captured the 2023 Leagues Cup, the first trophy in club history, before storming to the 2024 Supporters’ Shield with a record-setting points total.
This season, he has continued to lead from midfield, helping Miami secure another playoff berth and keeping alive hopes of a first MLS Cup.
Even in his late 30s, his ability to control tempo and anticipate danger set the tone for teammates and gave Messi the freedom to shine.
In his farewell message, Busquets thanked both Barcelona and the game itself.
“Thank you to FC Barcelona, the club of my life,” he said. “There I fulfilled my childhood dreams, wore the shirt I loved in hundreds of matches, celebrated many titles and lived unforgettable moments at Camp Nou. Football gave me unique experiences, in wonderful places, with the best teammates one could imagine.”
With his retirement, Barcelona’s iconic midfield trio is now complete.
Xavi and Iniesta stepped away years ago and now their longtime partner will join them, closing one of football’s most celebrated chapters.
Busquets was never a prolific scorer, nor the most visible star.
But his intelligence, composure and subtle dominance turned the “No. 6” role into something closer to an art form.
He proved that a midfielder could dictate matches without running the fastest or shooting the hardest, simply by always being in the right place at the right time.
