BARCELONA: After retiring from international football following the 2022 FIFA World Cup exit of Spain, defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets has announced his retirement from Football Club Barcelona at the end of the season. He will be retiring from professional football.
Sergio Busquets announced his decision via social media video, saying, “It has been an honour, a draw and a source of pride to have been able to wear this badge but everything must come to an end.” The midfielder also admits “It hasn’t been an easy decision but the time has come,” before thanking “all those people who have accompanied me on this journey, as well as the members and fans.”
Sergio Busquets has made 719 appearances for Barcelona. In his career span at Barcelona, he scored 19 goals and gave 40 assists.
The evergreen defensive midfielder has won many titles with Barcelona.
He has won nine La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions League, seven Copa del Rey titles, three Club World Cup trophies, three European Super Cups and seven Spanish Super Cups.
For Spain, Sergio Busquets has achieved a remarkable milestone. He won the prestigious World Cup with Spain in 2010.
In 2012, he won the European Championship as well as Spain.
Sergio Busquets, Born in Sabadell, joined the Barca youth system in the summer of 2005 from Jabac. That season, playing for the U19A side, he won three major trophies. Busquets moved up to Barca B under coach Pep Guardiola, making 23 appearances, scoring twice, and making a significant contribution to the promotion to Division 2B, as per Barcelona’s official Website.
As per Barcelona’s official website, In the 2009-10 season, he established his name as one of the most talented central midfielders on the international scene. The following seasons saw him consolidate his reputation as the man who makes Barca tick in the middle of the park as the trophies kept on coming, highlights being his 3 Champions League winners’ medals and 8 league titles. With the departures of Andres Iniesta and Leo Messi, Busquets assumed the role of club captain. Together with Gerard Pique, he is third on the all-time list of trophy winners in FC Barcelona history.
During the 2021/22 season, he surpassed Andres Iniesta to become the third player with the most appearances in Barca’s history. Sergio Busquets gave a speech to supporters at Camp Nou on Saturday night after Barcelona lifted the trophy as La Liga winners.
He said in his speech, “We wanted to win titles and we have achieved it by being a great team but above all with great fans. Thank you very much for the support because without you it would not have been possible. And finally, do not doubt that this has only just begun. Visca Barca and Visca Catalunya!” (ANI)