What next for retired former Barcelona and Inter Miami star Sergio Busquets?

Martin Macdonald

• 6 Oct 2025 16:00 CDT
• 4 min read

News

Sergio Busquets is one of the most celebrated midfielders in history and recently announced his retirement for the end of the current MLS campaign with Inter Miami.

The Spaniard's illustrious career started at Barcelona as he was plucked from the Barcelona B team by head coach Pep Guardiola in 2008 to act as the metronome anchor midfielder for one of the greatest club sides in history. During his time with the Blaugrana, he won nine La Liga titles, three Champions League titles and seven Copa del Rey trophies, among other accolades.

For the Spanish national side, he won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championships.

In June of 2023, he left Catalunya for Inter Miami to hook up with friend Lionel Messi and the pair helped the club win the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters' Shield in 2024.

Busquets recently announced his retirement from football for the end of the current season and was honoured at Chase Stadium this past weekend as Inter Miami defeated New England Revolution 4-1. It was after that ceremony that he revealed his future plans to get into coaching.

"I think in the future, yes [I'd want to be a coach], but for now I'd rather take a sabbatical," he told reporters.

"It's a long time, with hardly any weekends. Like any footballer, obviously, playing for the national team and everything gives you another plus, but you also have less time.

"You want to enjoy time with your family, time for me, for them, seeing my children, being with them, traveling more, watching football from a different perspective. And then, in the future, we'll see.

"In theory, yes, but let's focus on the present, as there's still a long way to go."

Busquets to make way for De Paul

Busquets previously announced his retirement via a video on social media.

“I feel that the time has come to say goodbye to my career as a professional football player. It has been almost 20 years enjoying this incredible story that I have always dreamed of,” he wrote on his Instagram account.

“These will be my last months on the pitch. I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and, above all, grateful. A heartfelt thank you to everyone and to football for everything. You will always be a part of this beautiful story.”

This news should not come as a shock, as it was already rumoured in the summer that Busquets could consider hanging up his boots to allow Inter Miami to sign Rodrigo De Paul on a permanent basis from Atletico Madrid.

This was ultimately not necessary at the time because Miami found a creative - and controversial - solution that enabled them to sign the Atletico Madrid star without him occupying one of their limited Designated Player (DP) spots.

Formally, his arrival in Fort Lauderdale was completed on a loan deal with an option to buy. However, it is an open secret that this deal is pretty much guaranteed to be made permanent.

Had Miami already signed him permanently in the summer or included an obligation to purchase him, they would have had to register him as a DP, which would have forced them to offload one of their other DPs, such as Busquets.

Unlike Busquets, Messi, who was instrumental in attracting compatriot De Paul, is expected to extend his expiring contract with Inter Miami.

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