Spain’s Sergio Busquets Hangs Up International Football Studs

Doha: World Cup champion and Spain’s third-highest appearance maker Sergio Busquets has announced his retirement from international football.

The 34-year-old leaves the international game with a World Cup and European Championship to his name and has been one of the most consistently high-performing midfielders of the past ten years.

Busquets captained Spain in each of their four games at the World Cup in Qatar, and his final act in a Spain shirt was missing a penalty in the shoot-out defeat to Morocco, as Luis Enrique’s side were knocked out at the last 16 stage.

However, that will be a long way down the list of moments Spain fans remember Busquets for – a stalwart in an era-defining side and a key player for club and country for over a decade.

Busquets made his debut for La Roja against Turkey in April 2009 and went on to make 143 appearances, behind only Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos in the country’s history.

The Barcelona midfielder only ever scored two international goals, but his passing, pace-setting, tackling and football intelligence were what made him an integral player in a successful side – so much so that Spain without Busquets is difficult to imagine.

As part of his annoucement, Busquets thanked those who have helped him on the way to greatness.