From Ali Sami Yen in Istanbul to the Education City of Rayán, from April 1, 2009 to December 6, 2022, a precious journey with 143 afternoons defending the coat of arms of Spain. Sergio Busquets, a living legend of national football, announces that his time with the national team is coming to an end. His dedication and commitment has been unquestionable up until the last day that he has been part of the team.
Busquets' debut came in Turkey in 2009, when he was still a youngster of 20 years. That night, the team won in Istanbul (1-2) and secured their qualification for the 2010 World Cup, which everyone already knows how it ended. Busquets was a fundamental piece of that Selection that settled in the paradise of Johannesburg, and was also present in the seven matches that Spain played in South Africa.
The Catalan learned from the best players and then he was the one who served as the teacher of the current generations, a leader with stripes who always made himself respected in the dressing room and who exuded camaraderie on all four sides. In his palmares, in addition to that World Cup that will always look like a star on the Spanish shield, there is also the 2012 Euro Cup, in which Busquets was present in all six games and was part of the ideal team.
He scored two goals with the national team and in 2017 entered the club of 100 games played, stretching the game counter to 143. In Qatar, Busquets played his fourth World Cup, reaching Andoni Zubizarreta, Fernando Hierro, Íker Casillas, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Ramos. And he also equaled, with 17 games in the most important tournament in the world of football (seven in South Africa, two in Brazil 2014, four in Russia 2018 and four in Qatar), Ramos and Casillas. In addition, he was in three Euro Cups (2012, 2016 and 2020) and in two Confederations Cups. A record footballer.
At 34 years old, Busquets puts an end to this great international career. From the Royal Spanish Football Federation, eternal gratitude for this brilliant path. Thanks Sergio. Thank you Captain.
Evaluations from Luis Rubiales
The president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, wanted to recognize Busquets' stupendous career with the National Team: "Sergio Busquets is an iconic figure in Spanish football, an exemplary athlete, an irreproachable professional and an indisputable leader", sums up the president "I have known Sergio and his family since he was 11 years old when I shared a dressing room with his father at Lleida. I am united by a great friendship with his parents and sometimes my heart can take away from my words objectivity: I don't mean it either, Sergio is a player who will transcend generations for his immense legacy".
"Sergio Busquets is an iconic figure in Spanish football, an exemplary athlete, an impeccable professional and an indisputable leader"
Rubiales highlights the role of Busquets in the dressing room, his figure being vital for the cohesion of the group: "Sergio is a silent, serene leader and admired by all for his humility and naturalness. Champion of everything, he has drawn an immense career that is already in the history of football. But there is a more important issue: his human profile. In that, Sergio is also unbeatable. Busquets deserves to decide when and how and our only path is gratitude. Thank you, Sergio, for your dedication and loyalty to the team , you are one of the most important assets of Spanish football”.