Star midfielder Busquets to retire after career having Messi’s back in Barcelona and MLS
BARCELONA Spain AP Sergio Busquets was a maestro in midfield the one who recovered the ball started attacks and delivered that key pass for superstar teammates like Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta to turn into goals in Barcelona s heyday The -year-old Spanish world champion will soon end his hugely accomplished career retiring from soccer at the end of his current season with Inter Miami the Major League Soccer company mentioned Thursday Busquets is widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation forming a storied three-man midfield at Barcelona with Iniesta and Xavi Hern ndez behind Messi Busquets debuted for Barcelona in under Pep Guardiola and went on to play matches for the club putting him third all-time behind Xavi and Messi while winning nine Spanish league titles and the Champions League three times He wasn t fast or ripped with muscles He rarely scored But his lanky frame belied a tenacious tackler and an expert passer making him the ideal anchorman for the best teams both Barcelona and Spain have ever had Barcelona called him a cornerstone of the finest Bar a side of all time He played games for Spain winning the World Cup in and the European Championship in He was Spain s captain upon retiring from international competition in In Busquets joined Inter Miami where he was reunited with Messi and other former Barcelona teammates Luis Su rez and Jordi Alba The band noted Busquets has had an extraordinary career and is one of the greatest midfielders in football history Former teammates and rivals praised him on social media What a privilege it was to play with you all those years brother Iniesta wrote on Instagram Your way of playing was one of a kind and we will never forget it Former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos Busquets s club rival and his teammate with Spain recalled their time shared on the field as well as Busquets modest and authentic character You were a rival the greater part of the time other times my teammate but you constantly stood out thanks to your class vision and talent Ramos wrote on X
