Spain veteran Busquets retires from international football
Madrid, Dec 16 (EFE).- Spain captain Sergio Busquets announced his retirement from international football on Friday following his participation in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the player announced on social media.
The 34-year-old Barcelona midfielder won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2012 Euros in Poland-Ukraine with the Spanish national team and earned 143 caps since his international debut in 2009.
“I would like to announce that after almost 15 years and 143 games, the moment for me to bid farewell to the national team has come,” the player said in a social media message.
“It has been an honor to represent my country and take it to the highest level,” he added.
Spain’s football federation (RFEF) in a statement said: “Sergio Busquets, a living legend of national football, announces that his time with the Spain team has come to an end.”
“The Catalan learned from the best players and later became a teacher to the current generation,” the statement added of a player whose early career teammates included legends Andrés Iniesta, David Villa and Xavi.
Busquets captained Spain at the Qatar World Cup, where his experience counterbalanced the raw talent of youngsters such as Gavi and Pedri.
Spain were knocked out of the competition by Morocco in the round of 16.EFE
fa-jt/ch
