Sergio Busquets Could Play On with Lionel Messi But Chooses Not To

Barcelona Legend Makes Honest Future Admission After Confirming Retirement Plan at Inter Miami in MLS

For most footballers, the dream is to go on forever — to squeeze every last drop out of a career that began on playgrounds and training pitches decades ago. But Sergio Busquets has always been different. Quiet, methodical, and unshakably self-aware, the Barcelona legend has now confirmed what many suspected was coming: the end of an era.

After more than 18 years at the top of world football, Busquets has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2025/26 season, bringing down the curtain on one of the most quietly influential careers in modern football. And perhaps the most telling detail of all — he could have kept playing alongside Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, but he’s choosing not to.

The Decision: Why Sergio Busquets Is Walking Away

Speaking at Chase Stadium, surrounded by family, teammates, and fans, Busquets explained his choice in the way only he could — calm, thoughtful, and deeply introspective.

“I like to finish well in places, to end good stories by my own choice,” he said, smiling faintly. “I could play on, yes, I feel good, I play a lot of games, but I’m not 20. I try to help the team, but this is the right time — not just physically, but mentally too.”

That line — “not just physically, but mentally” — says it all. Busquets has always been a thinker, a footballer who plays the game several seconds ahead of everyone else. While his legs might still carry him through 90 minutes in Major League Soccer, his mind is telling him the story is complete.

He’s achieved what he came to Miami for: to reunite with Messi, to win trophies on a new continent, and to enjoy football again without the relentless pressure cooker of the Camp Nou.

Sergio Busquets Spain World Cup trophy

From Barcelona to Miami: The Final Chapter

When Busquets followed Messi to Inter Miami in 2023, many saw it as a graceful epilogue to two careers that had been intertwined for over a decade. Together, they defined an era at FC Barcelona — an era of style, control, and total domination.

In Miami, the pair helped transform a struggling franchise into a powerhouse. Under Javier Mascherano’s management, Inter Miami lifted the Leagues Cup and the Supporters’ Shield, and now they stand on the brink of an MLS Cup run.

At 37, Busquets still plays like the orchestra conductor he’s always been — calm under pressure, economical in movement, devastatingly effective in distribution. His football is simple, but only because he makes it look that way.

Messi, ever the artist, has thrived once again in Busquets’ presence. The connection remains — the same quick glances, the same trust, the same rhythm they shared in Catalonia. But while Messi’s body still seems ready for another chapter, Busquets feels his story has reached its natural close.

Roll of Honour: The Complete Footballer

Few players have a CV as loaded as Sergio Busquets. His achievements span continents and competitions:

• 1 FIFA World Cup (2010)
• 1 UEFA European Championship (2012)
• 3 UEFA Champions League titles (2009, 2011, 2015)
• 9 La Liga titles
• 7 Copa del Rey trophies
• 3 FIFA Club World Cups
• 2 MLS trophies (and counting)

It’s a career most professionals can only dream of — not because of individual numbers or goals, but because of consistency, intelligence, and timing. Busquets was never the flashiest player on the pitch, but he was always the one who made everything work.

As Pep Guardiola once famously said:

“If you watch the game, you don’t see Busquets. But if you watch Busquets, you see the whole game.”

That line has followed him for years, and it still feels true today — even in pink and black under the Florida sun.

Could Have Continued with Lionel Messi — But Chose Not To

Perhaps the most striking part of Busquets’ decision is that he could have kept going. By all accounts, Inter Miami were keen to extend his contract for at least another year. Messi himself reportedly wanted his long-time midfield anchor to stay for one more run at glory.

But Busquets’ reasoning is rooted in perspective, not sentiment.

“I think it’s important to leave when you still feel good,” he explained. “To say goodbye when you’re still contributing, not when you’re holding on. I’ve always wanted to make that decision myself.”

It’s a mature approach — one that speaks to the same footballing intelligence that made him indispensable for so long. Rather than dragging his body through another season, he’s choosing to walk away on his terms, still respected, still relevant, still admired.

Messi Keeps Going, Busquets Steps Aside

The contrast between the two friends is fascinating. Lionel Messi, at 38, continues to play with the same fire, reportedly considering a contract extension that would see him play beyond his 40th birthday — much like Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.

Busquets, though, is content to let the spotlight move on. He’s never been one for fanfare. Even his farewell ceremony was understated, more like a family gathering than a farewell gala.

“I’ve lived my dream,” he said simply. “At Barcelona, and now here. I’ve had everything I could wish for.”

That humility is vintage Busquets — the anti-superstar who defined an era full of them.

Future Plans: Busquets the Boss?

Inter Miami CF v Seattle Sounders FC

What comes next for him remains open, though he’s not ruling out a future in management.

“I think in the future, yes, I’d want to be a coach,” he admitted. “But for now, I’d rather take a sabbatical. It’s been a long career, with hardly any weekends. I want to enjoy time with my family, my children, to travel, to watch football from a different perspective.”

Those who know him best — former teammates, coaches, analysts — believe he’s destined for the dugout. His understanding of space, tempo, and structure is second to none. He’s a natural successor to Guardiola in terms of philosophy and clarity.

But for now, Busquets wants quiet. He wants mornings without alarms, evenings without recovery sessions, and weekends spent in the stands rather than on the field.

A Farewell Season to Remember

Inter Miami are already through to the MLS playoffs, and Busquets has his eyes on one final prize: lifting the MLS Cup alongside Messi.

Their chemistry on the pitch remains unmatched, and their leadership has helped elevate a young Miami side into genuine contenders. As the playoffs loom, there’s a growing sense within the club that this could be a fairytale ending.

If Busquets can walk off the pitch with another trophy — this time in America — it would be a poetic conclusion to a career defined by intelligence and timing.

His teammates certainly think so. DeAndre Yedlin, one of Inter Miami’s veterans, said after the announcement:

“He’s a legend, man. You learn something from him every single day — how he reads the game, how he carries himself. You just want to soak it all in while he’s still here.”

The Legacy of Sergio Busquets

It’s easy to overlook the kind of player Busquets was because his greatness was never loud. He didn’t score screamers or pull off viral nutmegs. But he changed football in a quieter way — by redefining what it meant to control a game without running it into chaos.

He made the defensive midfielder cool again — not through crunching tackles or last-ditch heroics, but through calmness, positioning, and the power of simplicity.

When you think of tiki-taka, of Guardiola’s Barcelona, of Spain’s golden era, you think of Xavi, Iniesta, Messi — and right in the middle, keeping it all in sync, Busquets.

Even today, young players in academies across the world are taught to “play like Busquets” — to scan before receiving, to think faster, to use fewer touches. That’s his legacy.

The End of an Era, But Not the End of the Story

Football has a way of reminding us that time catches everyone. For Busquets, though, it’s not a sad ending — it’s a graceful exit. He’s walking away while still capable, still respected, still loved.

Whether his next chapter takes him into management, punditry, or a quiet life in Barcelona, there’s no doubt he’ll approach it with the same precision and calm that defined his playing days.

As Inter Miami chase that elusive MLS Cup, Busquets will take to the pitch knowing each match could be his last. But he’ll play them the way he always has — with intelligence, humility, and purpose.

And when the final whistle finally blows on his career, it won’t be just the end of Sergio Busquets the player. It will be the closing of a football chapter that shaped a generation — one built not on flash or fame, but on brilliance, balance, and brains.

Sergio Busquets could have kept playing with Lionel Messi. But instead, he chose something far rarer — the perfect goodbye.