BarcelonaSergio Busquets was the first to show his face after Spain were eliminated from the World Cup in Qatar at the hands of Morocco. The midfielder, who had become the captain of the Red, succeeding Sergio Ramos, already hinted that this could be his last game with the national team. A couple of weeks later, it was confirmed. The 34-year-old footballer has announced that he is ending his career with the Spanish team.
“I would like to thank all the people who have accompanied me on this long journey. From Vicente del Bosque, who gave me the opportunity to start, to Luis Enrique for making me enjoy myself until the last second,” he said in the text, where he had a memory for his teammates and for the other technicians with whom he shared the dressing room in the national team.
This marks the end of Busquets’ 13 years playing for Spain, during which he played 143 games, won a World Cup and a European Cup. “It has been an honor to represent my country and take it to the highest point, to be world and European champion, to be captain and to enjoy so many matches, with more or less success, but always giving everything and contributing my grain of sand so that everything went as well as possible.”
13 years with ‘la roja’ and 143 games
The midfielder made his debut in the First Division with Barça in 2008, under Pep Guardiola. Quickly, a place was made in the Barcelona starting eleven. From being the son of Carlos Busquets – Barça’s second Dream Team goalkeeper – to simply being Busquets. Or Sergio, as he liked to be called. Tall, fast and very gifted technically and tactically, he caught the attention of the Spanish national team, which was then being coached by del Bosque. The coach summoned him in March, for a friendly against England, although he did not end up playing. Instead, he would make his debut, and in an official match, on April 1, 2009, in a qualifying match for the 2010 World Cup against Turkey.
“It still gives me goosebumps to remember it. I will really miss seeing the call-up list, taking the aerial bridge, greeting my teammates, enjoying the training sessions, the endless games of Pochago out to play, not without first making our cry together, listening to the national anthem in each other’s arms or feeling the love of an entire country,” the text said.
After Spain’s elimination from the World Cup, and when it was already felt that Busquets could leave the national team, some teammates encouraged him to continue for a few more months, but Busquets’ decision had already been made and he waited a few days to communicate it His farewell joins that of the coach, Luis Enrique; although, in the coach’s case, it was the Federation that decided not to renew Lucho, whose contract was ending just after the appointment in Qatar.
The unknown of Barça
Now, however, another mystery opens up. The footballer, who is completing his 15th season at Barça, ends his contract on June 30 and his future is not at all clear. In fact, in the summer he already received a proposal from Barcelona to renew his contract, but he declined it. An indication, according to the offices of the Camp Nou, that portends that Busquets will not continue with the Blaugrana team beyond this season – where he also serves as first captain.
