Inter Miami’s former Barcelona and Spain star Sergio Busquets said on Thursday that he will retire from football at the end of the 2025 Major League Soccer season.

The 37-year-old midfielder made the announcement in a social media post.

“These will be my last months on the pitch. I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all grateful,” Busquets said in a video on his Instagram page.

“A heartfelt thank you to everyone and to football for everything. You will always be a part of this beautiful story.”

An elegant, skillful player known for his poise and calmness on the ball, Busquets is widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in history.

He was a key figure in nine Spanish league victories with Barcelona and also helped the club win three Champions League titles.

He was a member of the Spain team that won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European championship, winning 143 caps.

He retired from international football after the 2022 World Cup, and in 2023 headed to the United States to link up with former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso hailed his former midfield partner with Spain ahead of his retirement.

“He wasn’t the fastest but he was the quickest mentally, always a step ahead so he could make the right decisions,” Alonso told reporters on Friday.

“That’s why he had such a brilliant career and we all speak very fondly of Busi.”

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Rich Lam/Getty Images