Sergio Busquets
![]() Busquets playing for Spain in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Sergio Busquets Burgos[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | [1] | 16 July 1988||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Sabadell, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Inter Miami | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1995–1996 | Badia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1996–1999 | Barberà Andalucía | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1999–2003 | Lleida | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2003–2005 | Jàbac Terrassa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2005–2007 | Barcelona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2007–2008 | Barcelona B | 25 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2023 | Barcelona | 481 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023– | Inter Miami | 35 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2009 | Spain U21 | 3 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009–2022 | Spain | 143 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2016 | Catalonia | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:11, 25 August 2024 (UTC) |
Sergio Busquets Burgos (Catalan: [busˈkɛts],[2] Spanish: [ˈseɾxjo βusˈkets];[A] born 16 July 1988) is a Spanish professional footballer from Catalonia who plays as a defensive midfielder for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. A deep-lying playmaker capable of directing gameplay through short and calm passes and his singular reading of the game, he is considered one of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time.[3][4][5]
Busquets arrived in Barcelona's first team in July 2008 and went on to receive the La Liga's Breakthrough Player in 2009. From the 2009–10 season, he was a first team regular and was part of a widely lauded midfield trio with Andrés Iniesta and Xavi. Busquets made over 700 total appearances for the club, winning 32 trophies, including nine La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and three UEFA Champions Leagues. He was part of the squads that won a continental treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League in 2008–09 and 2014–15. He left the club after 14 years at the end of the 2022–23 season.
Busquets made his senior international debut for Spain in April 2009, making 143 appearances for the national side, scoring twice. He helped his country win the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012 tournaments, and he also featured at three other World Cups and two European Championships. He retired from international football following the 2022 World Cup.
Club career
[edit]Barcelona
[edit]Born in Sabadell, Barcelona, Catalonia, Busquets began playing football with local team Badia del Vallès,[6] followed by spells with Barberà Andalucía, Lleida and Jàbac Terrassa,[7] before joining Barcelona's youth ranks in 2005.[8] He scored seven goals in 26 games for the Juvenil A team in his second season and, two years later, Busquets was promoted to the B team under Pep Guardiola, and helped them achieve promotion to the third division.[9][10] In that same season, he would make his first-team debut, coming on as a substitute in the Copa Catalunya.[11]
"Positionally, he seems like a veteran with or without the ball. With the ball he makes what is difficult look easy: he disposes of the ball with one or two touches. Without the ball, he gives us a lesson: that of being in the right place to intercept and running just to recover the ball."
Johan Cruyff, 15 September 2008[12]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/S._Busquets_%282009-05%29.jpg/220px-S._Busquets_%282009-05%29.jpg)
Busquets played his first La Liga match on 13 September 2008, featuring 90 minutes in a 1–1 home draw to Racing Santander.[13] During Barcelona's 2008–09 UEFA Champions League clash against Basel at St. Jakob-Park on 22 October 2008, he scored the second goal in the 15th minute in a 5–0 group stage win;[14] in early December, in another start, he scored his second with Barça in the competition, netting in the 83rd minute of a 2–3 home loss against Shakhtar Donetsk.[15]
On 22 December 2008, Busquets signed a contract extension until 2013 with a buy-out clause of €80 million.[16][17] On 7 March 2009, he scored his first league goal, in a 2–0 home win over Athletic Bilbao.[18]
On 27 May 2009, having been regularly played as he competed for the spot with internationals Seydou Keita and Yaya Touré, he also featured in Barcelona's starting eleven in the Champions League final, a 2–0 win over Manchester United in Rome; with that victory, Carles Busquets and Sergio Busquets became only the third father-and-son combo to both have won Europe's top club competition playing for the same team, joining Cesare Maldini and Paolo Maldini (won it with A.C. Milan) and Manuel Sanchís and Manolo Sanchís (Real Madrid).[19]
Busquets' fine form continued in the 2009–10 campaign,[20][21] with Guardiola preferring him to Touré as Barcelona's central holding midfielder. In the second leg of the Champions League semi-final 1–0 victory (and an eventual 2–3 aggregate defeat) against Inter Milan at Camp Nou on 28 April 2010, he went down to the ground after Thiago Motta had raised his arm and appeared to push Busquets directly in the face.[22] As a result of this action, the former was shown a red card and dismissed for violent conduct, whilst the latter was subsequently criticised by both Motta and the media for apparently feigning injury.[22][23][24][25]
Busquets was again ever-present in 2010–11, even playing as a centre back on occasions.[26][27] On 27 January 2011, he signed a contract extension that would keep him at the club until 2015 – the buyout clause was increased to €150 million.[28] On 8 March 2011, playing at centre back, he scored an own goal from a corner kick against Arsenal, in the season's Champions League round-of-16, levelling the score at 1–1; Barcelona eventually won the game 3–1 (and 4–3 on aggregate).[29] On 28 May, Busquets played the full match during his side's 3–1 Champions league final victory against Manchester United at Wembley.[30]
Busquets scored a rare goal on 24 April 2012 – only his sixth official one in four years – netting from an easy tap-in after an Isaac Cuenca cross to make it 1–0 for the hosts in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Chelsea. Barcelona could only draw 2–2 against ten men as the English club came back from being 0–2 down; his team eventually lost 2–3 on aggregate, after already having lost 1–0 in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.[31]
On 16 July 2013, the day he celebrated his 25th birthday, Busquets agreed to a new deal until 2018, with the buyout clause remaining unaltered.[32] On 1 August 2014, after the retirement of long time club captain and defender Carles Puyol and at the veteran's personal request, he was given the number 5 shirt for the upcoming campaign and was named one of the four captains for the club alongside Xavi, Andrés Iniesta and Lionel Messi.[33]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/2015_UEFA_Super_Cup_61.jpg/170px-2015_UEFA_Super_Cup_61.jpg)
Busquets started on 6 June in the 2015 Champions League final, as the team won their fifth accolade in the competition by beating Juventus 3–1 at Berlin's Olympiastadion.[34] This made Barcelona the first club in history to win the treble of domestic league, domestic cup and European Cup twice, and Dani Alves, Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Pedro, Gerard Piqué and Xavi the only players to achieve the same feat.[35]
On 3 October 2015, Busquets captained Barcelona for the first time in the absence of regular captain Iniesta and vice-captain Messi in a 1–2 away defeat to Sevilla.[36]
Busquets opened the scoring in a 3–0 win against Las Palmas on 1 October 2017, with the match being played behind closed doors at the Camp Nou due to the ongoing Catalan independence referendum.[37] Around a year later, he signed a new contract until June 2023, which increased his buyout clause from €200 million to €500 million.[38] On 24 November 2018 he played his 500th game for Barcelona away to Atlético Madrid,[39] and he made his 100th Champions League appearance on 11 December, in a 1–1 group stage home draw against Tottenham Hotspur.[40]
On 9 January 2021, Busquets made his 600th appearance for Barcelona in a 4–0 win against Granada at the Los Cármenes. Only his contemporaries Xavi, Iniesta and Messi had played more games in the history of the club.[41] In August, he became club captain after Messi left for Paris Saint-Germain.[42] On 12 January 2023, Busquets made his 700th appearance for Barcelona in his team's penalty shoot-out victory after a 2–2 draw against Real Betis at the King Fahd International Stadium in 2023 Supercopa de España semi-final.[43] In the next match, three days later, Busquets participated in his team's 3–1 win against Real Madrid in the 2023 Supercopa de España final, becoming the player with the most matches in the history of El Clásico with 45 matches, jointly with Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, in addition he becoming the player with the most wins in El Clásico matches, with 21 matches, jointly with Paco Gento.[44] On 2 March, in the next El Clásico match, Busquets broke both records as Barcelona won 0–1 in the first leg of the 2023 Copa del Rey semi-final.
On 10 May 2023, Busquets announced he would leave Barcelona by the end of the season.[45]
Inter Miami
[edit]On 23 June 2023, Inter Miami announced that they had signed Busquets.[46] On 16 July, Busquets officially signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Inter Miami.[47] He was also joined at the club with former Barcelona teammates Messi and Jordi Alba. He won his first title with the club on 20 August 2023, helping Inter Miami beat Nashville SC in the 2023 Leagues Cup final.[48] On 7 March, Busquets and Inter Miami made their debuts in the CONCACAF Champions Cup against Nashville SC.[49] He would assist in Luis Suárez's stoppage time equalizing goal, helping the first leg end 2–2.[50] On 20 April 2024, Busquets scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win over Nashville SC.[51]
International career
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Mario_Balotelli_shot_Euro_2012_final_02.jpg/220px-Mario_Balotelli_shot_Euro_2012_final_02.jpg)
On 11 October 2008, Busquets earned his first cap for Spain's under-21 in their 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification play-offs first-leg away match against Switzerland. He scored in the 17th minute of a 1–2 loss,[52] though they eventually emerged victorious 4–3 on aggregate.[53] On 28 December, he played his first game for the Catalan representative side, starting in a 2–1 win over Colombia at the Camp Nou.[54]
On 11 February 2009, Busquets was called up to the senior squad for a friendly against England.[55] He was named as a substitute for a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Turkey on 28 March 2009,[56] making his debut in the return match on 1 April, playing 16 minutes in a 2–1 win in Istanbul after replacing David Silva.[57] In the summer, he went to his first senior tournament, helping Spain come third at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.[58]
"If I were a player, I would like to be like Busquets."
Vicente del Bosque, June 2010[59]
Busquets was selected by manager Vicente del Bosque for the 2010 World Cup in the same country, assuming the holding midfielder role naturalized Brazilian Marcos Senna had previously occupied in the conquest of UEFA Euro 2008.[60] He played all of the tournament's games and minutes for the eventual world champions, save the last 30 minutes of the 0–1 group-stage loss against Switzerland in Durban.[61] He finished the tournament with the third–highest pass success rate, alongside his teammate Puyol, completing 88% of his passes.[62]
At UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, Busquets played every minute as Spain won the title, and he was named in the Team of the Tournament.[63][64] On 8 September 2014, he scored his first international goal in a 5–1 win over Macedonia during Euro 2016's qualifying phase.[65] His second came during the same tournament on 15 November, in the 3–0 defeat of Belarus in Huelva.[66] He was selected for the final tournament in France.[67]
Busquets celebrated his 100th appearance for Spain on 9 October 2017, in a 1–0 away win against Israel for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.[68] Subsequently, he was named in Julen Lopetegui's squad for the finals in Russia.[69]
On 7 October 2020, Busquets captained the Spanish for the first time in a goalless friendly draw away to Portugal, as Sergio Ramos was on the bench.[70] The following May, he was included in Luis Enrique's 24-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. In the absence of Ramos, he was named captain.[71] He tested positive for COVID-19 eight days before Spain's first game, causing the entire squad to withdraw from their final warm-up match against Lithuania.[72] He missed the first two group games – both draws – before returning to the team for the third, in which he was voted man of the match by UEFA for a 5–0 win over Slovakia.[73][74] Four days later, in their round of 16 match against Croatia, Busquets was again named the man of the match in his team's 5–3 extra time victory.[75] In the quarter-finals, he hit the post with Spain's first kick of the penalty shootout against Switzerland, though his team prevailed.[76]
In the UEFA Nations League final against France on 10 October 2021, Busquets set-up Mikel Oyarzabal who scored the opening goal of the match, although Spain ultimately suffered a 2–1 defeat.[77] For his performances throughout the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals, Busquets won the Hisense Player of the Finals award.[78]
At the 2022 World Cup, Busquets captained the national team during the tournament in Qatar.[79] In the round of 16, he missed a penalty during the penalty shootouts against Morocco, which ended in a 3–0 defeat after a goalless draw.[80]
On 16 December 2022, Busquets announced his retirement from international football, having made 143 appearances over a 14-year period.[81]
Style of play
[edit]"He's one of the greatest talents that has been given to Spanish football. This is a discovery. The first time I saw Busquets playing, I called a friend and said: ‘I saw a player from an extinct species’. He's a star."
César Luis Menotti, July 2011[82]
Considered by several pundits to be one of the best midfielders of his generation, and one of the greatest holding midfielders of all time,[3][4][83][5] Busquets is usually deployed as either a central or defensive midfielder, although he is also capable of playing as a central defender.[84] Busquets is known for redefining the deep-lying midfield position by focusing on football intelligence, precision passing, and a ‘genius’ ability to read the game rather than overwhelming strength or physicality.[85] A hard-working player, he excels at intercepting loose balls and breaking down opposition plays due to his positional sense, defensive attributes, tackling, tactical intelligence, and ability to read the game, despite his lack of pace.[12][84][86][87][88] Due to his vision, ball control, physical prowess, technical skills, calm composure on the ball, and accurate passing ability, he rarely relinquishes possession, and alongside his former Barcelona midfield teammates, such as Iniesta, Xavi and Ivan Rakitić, he has also played an important creative role in setting his team's tempo in midfield as a deep-lying playmaker through his short passing game.[86][89][90][91][92][93][94] His role has also been likened to that of a metodista ("centre-half," in Italian football jargon), due to his ability to dictate play in midfield as well as assist his team defensively.[95] His position and playing style have led him to be compared to his former manager, as well as fellow former Spain and Barcelona player, Pep Guardiola.[96]
Manager del Bosque praised Busquets, saying: "If you watch the whole game, you won't see Busquets—but watch Busquets, and you will see the whole game."[97] The latter's height also allows him to be effective in the air, and enables him to advance into more offensive positions on occasion, providing an additional attacking outlet for his team.[98] Busquets has been accused of play-acting in the past, due to his tendency of exaggerating fouls. However, in response to these criticisms, he defended his behavior as intelligent, arguing that the realities of the game are more complex.[87][99]
Often considered to be one of the most underrated footballers in the world,[100] Busquets earned praise from his peers, with current club teammate Messi saying "When there will be trouble, Busquets will always be there."[101]
Personal life
[edit]Busquets' father, Carles, was also a footballer. He played as a goalkeeper for Barcelona for several years during the 1990s, although almost exclusively as a backup.[102]
In 2014, Busquets started a relationship with Elena Galera. They have two sons born in 2016[103] and 2018.[104] He has an Arabic tattoo on his left forearm translating to "A thing for you, the life in my country", dedicated to his maternal grandfather to whom he was very close.[105]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Barcelona B | 2007–08 | Tercera División | 23 | 2 | — | — | — | 23 | 2 | |||
2008–09 | Segunda División B | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
Total | 25 | 2 | — | — | — | 25 | 2 | |||||
Barcelona | 2008–09 | La Liga | 24 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 8[b] | 2 | — | 41 | 3 | |
2009–10 | La Liga | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10[b] | 0 | 5[c] | 1 | 52 | 1 | |
2010–11 | La Liga | 28 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 12[b] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
2011–12 | La Liga | 31 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 10[b] | 1 | 3[e] | 0 | 52 | 2 | |
2012–13 | La Liga | 31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8[b] | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 45 | 1 | |
2013–14 | La Liga | 32 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9[b] | 1 | 2[d] | 0 | 48 | 3 | |
2014–15 | La Liga | 33 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10[b] | 0 | — | 47 | 1 | ||
2015–16 | La Liga | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9[b] | 0 | 4[f] | 0 | 53 | 0 | |
2016–17 | La Liga | 33 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8[b] | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
2017–18 | La Liga | 31 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 10[b] | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 50 | 1 | |
2018–19 | La Liga | 35 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 12[b] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 54 | 0 | |
2019–20 | La Liga | 33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7[b] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 43 | 2 | |
2020–21 | La Liga | 36 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6[b] | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 50 | 0 | |
2021–22 | La Liga | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 12[g] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 51 | 3 | |
2022–23 | La Liga | 30 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5[h] | 0 | 2[d] | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
Total | 481 | 11 | 77 | 1 | 136 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 722 | 18 | ||
Inter Miami | 2023 | MLS | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 7[i] | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
2024 | MLS | 24 | 1 | — | 4[j] | 0 | 4[i] | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
Total | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 52 | 1 | ||
Career total | 541 | 14 | 79 | 1 | 140 | 5 | 39 | 1 | 799 | 21 |
- ^ Includes Copa del Rey, U.S. Open Cup
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
- ^ One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, two appearances in Supercopa de España, two appearances and one goal in FIFA Club World Cup
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España
- ^ One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Supercopa de España, one appearance in FIFA Club World Cup
- ^ One appearance in UEFA Super Cup, one appearance in Supercopa de España, two appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
- ^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
- ^ a b Appearances in Leagues Cup
- ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup
International
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Russia-Spain_2017_%287%29.jpg/220px-Russia-Spain_2017_%287%29.jpg)
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Spain | 2009 | 10 | 0 |
2010 | 16 | 0 | |
2011 | 11 | 0 | |
2012 | 14 | 0 | |
2013 | 12 | 0 | |
2014 | 11 | 2 | |
2015 | 8 | 0 | |
2016 | 12 | 0 | |
2017 | 8 | 0 | |
2018 | 9 | 0 | |
2019 | 5 | 0 | |
2020 | 4 | 0 | |
2021 | 13 | 0 | |
2022 | 10 | 0 | |
Total | 143 | 2 |
- Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Busquets goal[citation needed]
No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8 September 2014 | Ciutat de València, Valencia, Spain | 70 | ![]() |
3–1 | 5–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
2 | 15 November 2014 | Nuevo Colombino, Huelva, Spain | 73 | ![]() |
2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
Honours
[edit]![A group of association football players, who played for FC Barcelona at the time of the photo, lifting their coach after winning their second FIFA Club World Cup.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/FC_Barcelona_Team_2011.jpg/220px-FC_Barcelona_Team_2011.jpg)
Barcelona[109]
- La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2022–23
- Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
- Supercopa de España: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2023
- UEFA Champions League: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
- UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Xavi_and_Sergio_Busquets_Euro_2012_trophy.jpg/220px-Xavi_and_Sergio_Busquets_Euro_2012_trophy.jpg)
Inter Miami
Spain
- FIFA World Cup: 2010[111]
- UEFA European Championship: 2012[112]
- FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2013; third place: 2009[citation needed]
- UEFA Nations League runner-up: 2020–21[113]
Individual
- Bravo Award: 2009[114]
- La Liga's Breakthrough Player: 2009[115]
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010[116]
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2012[114]
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2014–15[117]
- La Liga Team of the Season:2015–16[118]
- UEFA La Liga Team of the Season: 2015–16[119]
- UEFA Nations League Finals Player of the Tournament: 2021[78]
- MLS All-Star: 2024
Decorations
See also
[edit]- List of footballers with 100 or more UEFA Champions League appearances
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
- List of FC Barcelona players (100+ appearances)
- List of La Liga players (400+ appearances)
Notes
[edit]- ^ In isolation, Busquets is pronounced [busˈkets].
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™: List of Players: Spain" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2022.
- ^ "How to pronounce Carles Busquets". Forvo. 12 October 2008. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets is among best in the world, says Terry Gibson". Sky Sports. 11 November 2015. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Casemiro: Spain's Busquets is world's best in my position". Goal.com. 29 June 2018. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- ^ a b Lee Roden (5 February 2016). "Is it time to acknowledge Sergio Busquets as the best midfielder in the world?". fourfourtwo.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Jugadores salidos de Badia (Players who came from Badia) Archived 22 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine; CD Badia del Vallès, 20 December 2015 (in Spanish)
- ^ S. Busquets Archived 23 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine; at Sport (in Spanish)
- ^ a b Sergio Busquets Archived 16 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine; at Blaugranas (in Spanish)
- ^ FC Barcelona: The meteoric rise of Sergio Busquets Archived 4 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine; Bleacher Report, 16 July 2011
- ^ Sergio Busquets: El día que empezó todo (Sergio Busquets: The day it all started) Archived 6 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine; Mundo Deportivo, 25 February 2016 (in Spanish)
- ^ Sergio Busquets Burgos Archived 8 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine; FC Barcelona, 3 April 2017 (in Spanish)
- ^ a b Sergio Busquets completa un viaje vertiginoso que en 8 meses le ha llevado de Tercera a la selección (Sergio Busquets completes meteoric journey that took him from Tercera to national team in 8 months) Archived 21 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine; El Periódico de Catalunya, 7 February 2009 (in Spanish)
- ^ "Trata de arrancarlo, Pep" [Get this thing started, Pep]. Marca (in Spanish). Madrid. 13 September 2008. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ^ "Basel overwhelmed by five-star Barça". UEFA. 22 October 2008. Archived from the original on 9 July 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
- ^ "Shakhtar brush aside youthful Barcelona". UEFA. 9 December 2008. Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
- ^ "Busquets thrilled to commit future to Barça". UEFA. 22 December 2008. Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2008.
- ^ "Busquets signs new Barcelona contract". Tribal Football. 23 December 2008. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
- ^ "Vuelve el espectáculo" [Showtime is back]. Marca (in Spanish). 7 March 2009. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Los Busquets hacen historia" [The Busquets make history]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 29 May 2009. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ Barcelona responds like a true champion Archived 2 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine; The New York Times, 25 November 2009
- ^ Distractions looming as Barca bid for the double Archived 5 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine; BBC, 16 March 2010
- ^ a b Mole, Giles (29 April 2010). "Barcelona v Inter Milan: Thiago Motta fumes at Sergio Busquets' 'terrible behaviour'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 29 April 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ Lyon, Sam (28 April 2010). "Barcelona 1–0 Inter Milan (agg 2–3)". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
- ^ Jenson, Pete (30 April 2010). "Banned Motta asks Uefa to act over Busquets 'theatre'". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 1 May 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ Hayward, Paul (2 May 2010). "Fair Play 0, Foul Play 1 – a cynical classic from the Camp Nou conmen". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 February 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
- ^ "Ya sabemos que Busquets es un inútil" [We all know that Busquets is worthless]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 16 September 2011. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "El día que Sergio Busquets y Mascherano se ordenaron" [The day Sergio Busquets and Mascherano got it together]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 15 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ Busquets signs new Barca deal Archived 30 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN Soccernet, 27 January 2011
- ^ "Brilliant Barcelona outgun ten-man Arsenal". UEFA. 8 March 2011. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
- ^ Dunn, Alex (28 May 2011). "No answer to Barca genius". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ Ten-man Chelsea hold off Barça to reach final Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine; UEFA, 24 April 2012
- ^ "Barcelona renews Sergio Busquets' contract through 2018". Sports Illustrated. New York. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
- ^ "Busquets inherits Puyol's number 5 shirt". Marca. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Barcelona see off Juventus to claim fifth title". UEFA. 6 June 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Barça make history with second treble!". FC Barcelona. 6 June 2015. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
- ^ "Sevilla 2–1 Barcelona". BBC Sport. 3 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ Fisher, Ben (1 October 2017). "Barcelona 3-0 Las Palmas: La Liga – as it happened". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ Martin, Richard (27 September 2018). "Barca raise Busquets buy-out clause in new contract". Reuters. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ Oliva Gispert, Ignasi (24 November 2018). "'He'd never even played as a six' – The rise of 500-club genius Sergio Busquets". Goal. Archived from the original on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Sergio reaches Champions League century". FC Barcelona. 13 December 2018. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ Brennan, Feargal (11 January 2021). "Sergio Busquets hails Barcelona's progress in 2021". Football España. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ Torres, M. Carmen (9 August 2021). "Barcelona announce new captains". Marca. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets makes 700th appearance for FC Barcelona". fcbarcelona.com. 12 January 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets, a bigger legend than ever". fcbarcelona.com. 16 January 2023. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets to leave FC Barcelona at the end of the season". FC Barcelona. 10 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets: Inter Miami announce signing of Barcelona captain". BBC Sport. 23 June 2023. Archived from the original on 15 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
- ^ "Inter Miami CF Signs Legendary Midfielder Sergio Busquets". Inter Miami CF. 16 July 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
- ^ mlssoccer. "Lionel Messi sets world record as Inter Miami win Leagues Cup | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "Inter Miami meet Nashville in Messi's Champions Cup debut". CONCACAF. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Walker, Teresa M. (7 March 2024). "Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi rally Inter Miami for a 2-2 tie with Nashville". Associated Press. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Deen, Safid (20 April 2024). "Lionel Messi scores two goals to take MLS lead, fuels Inter Miami 3-1 win over Nashville". USA Today. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
- ^ "España sub'21 cae en Suiza y emplaza la clasificación para la vuelta" [Spain under-21 fall in Switzerland and postpone qualification to second leg]. El Confidencial (in Spanish). 11 October 2008. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Crónica del España-Suiza, 3–1" [Spain-Switzerland match report, 3–1] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 15 October 2008. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Selección Colombia perdió 2–1 con Cataluña en un partido amistoso" [Colombia national team lost 2–1 to Catalonia in friendly match] (in Spanish). Fútbol Red. 28 December 2008. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Lista de convocados para el amistoso ante Inglaterra" [Callup for friendly against England] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 6 February 2009. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
- ^ "Crónica del España – Turquía: 1–0" [Spain – Turkey match report: 1–0] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 29 March 2009. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "España remonta en Turquía e iguala el récord de Javier Clemente (1–2)" [Spain come from behind in Turkey and equal Javier Clemente record (1–2)]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 1 April 2009. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Spain see off South Africa in extra-time to finish third in Confederations Cup". The Guardian. 28 June 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ Del Bosque: "Si yo fuera jugador me gustaría parecerme a Busquets" (Del Bosque: "If I were a player, I would like to be like Busquets") Archived 18 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Libertad Digital, 22 June 2010 (in Spanish)
- ^ "Busquets espera estar a la altura de Marcos Senna" [Busquets hopes to live up to Marcos Senna]. Marca (in Spanish). 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Swiss happy to accept Spanish 'gift'". FIFA. 16 June 2010. Archived from the original on 19 June 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Spain's 2010 conquerors in numbers". FIFA. 22 August 2017. Archived from the original on 7 June 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ "Euro 2012 final: The ten players to watch". Total Football. Archived from the original on 30 March 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Euro 2012: Spain's Andres Iniesta named player of the tournament". BBC Sport. 2 July 2012. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Euro 2016 qualifiers: Spain back in groove with easy win over Macedonia". The Guardian. London. 8 September 2014. Archived from the original on 9 September 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
- ^ Hunter, Graham (15 November 2014). "Much-changed Spain dominate Belarus". UEFA. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ Valente, Allan (1 June 2016). "Hector Bellerin included in Spain squad for Euro 2016". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Un golazo de Illarra premia a España" [Illarra wonder goal rewards Spain]. Marca (in Spanish). 9 October 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ^ "Chelsea forward Álvaro Morata left out of Spain's World Cup squad". The Guardian. 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- ^ Cerezo, Hugo (7 October 2020). "Es una pasada tener un jugador como Adama Traoré" [It's great to have a player like Adama Traoré]. Marca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Westwood, James (25 May 2021). "Real Madrid captain Ramos left out of Spain squad for Euro 2020 but Laporte included after France switch". Goal. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Euro 2020: Spain captain Sergio Busquets tests positive for Covid-19". BBC Sport. 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "Busquets, man of the match in Spain versus Slovakia". Be Soccer. 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Lowe, Sid (24 June 2021). "'His game was incredible': Sergio Busquets repays Luis Enrique's faith". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Croatia 3-5 Spain (aet): Morata and Oyarzabal the extra-time heroes in Copenhagen thriller". UEFA. 28 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ "Euro 2020: Luis Enrique had 'huge faith' in goalkeeper Unai Simon to see Spain past Switzerland on penalties". The Independent. 3 July 2021. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ "Spain vs. France - Football Match Report". ESPN.com. 10 October 2021. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Sergio Busquets named 2021 UEFA Nations League Player of the Finals". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Archived from the original on 11 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ "List of called-up players for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022". Royal Spanish Football Federation. 11 November 2022. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ "Spain are eliminated, missing every penalty of the shootout vs Morocco". Marca. 6 December 2022. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ "Retirement Announcement from Sergio Busquets". Instagram. 16 December 2022. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "El fútbol se lo robaron a la gente" ("The people were robbed of football") Archived 8 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine; El País, 11 July 2011 (in Spanish)
- ^ "In the Pantheon of modern day greats, where do Sergio Busquets' unique talents rank?". Thesefootballtimes.com. 27 December 2017. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Sergio Busquets Burgos". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets could he be on his way to Stamford Bridge". FootballExpress.in. 12 May 2023. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Sergio Busquets: Barcelona's best supporting actor sets the stage". The Guardian. London. 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ a b "A closer look at Spain's Euro 2012 squad". The Globe and Mail. 6 June 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ^ Palmer, Justin (6 March 2014). "Barca without Puyol and Pique for Valladolid trip". Reuters. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
- ^ "Barcelona's Pep Guardiola: Sergio Busquets is the best defensive midfielder in the world". Goal. 15 January 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ^ Cox, Michael (12 May 2015). "Champions League semis showcase changing role of deep-lying midfielder". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- ^ ""Busquets? The most intelligent player I have ever coached", says Luis Enrique". We Love Barça. 20 November 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ^ Cox, Michael (23 August 2016). "Disappointing lack of deep-lying playmakers in the Premier League". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ Bhatt, Anurag (19 January 2021). "FC Barcelona: 5 Unsung Heroes Who Are as Indispensable as Lionel Messi". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
- ^ "Love him or hate him, Sergio Busquets is a genius". ESPN.com. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
- ^ Albrizio, Federico (3 July 2021). "Jorginho come e meglio di Busquets: per Ventura non aveva ruolo, ora è il punto fermo dell'Italia di Mancini" (in Italian). Calciomercato.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ Dimond, Alex (10 June 2015). "The Complete Evolution of Pep Guardiola from Barcelona to Bayern Munich". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ Shahin, Ahmed (21 March 2015). "FC Barcelona v Real Madrid CF: El Clásico combined XI – When stars collide". Barca Blaugranes. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ Cernensek, Bostjan (31 March 2011). "Getting To Know: Sergio Busquets". Barca Blaugranes. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
- ^ "Busquets: "¿Teatreros? Más que ser teatrero es ser inteligente"". Marca. Madrid. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ Kunal (22 February 2018). "Why Sergio Busquets is the most underrated midfielder". Blame Football. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- ^ Coleman, Joe (14 September 2018). "ENFORCER Lionel Messi knew Sergio Busquets was good enough for Barcelona after three days of training, claims Pep Guardiola". Talksport. Archived from the original on 29 September 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- ^ "Tú, tranquilo; ya me pondré nervioso yo" ("You, be cool; i'll be nervous for two") Archived 19 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine; El País, 26 May 2009 (in Spanish)
- ^ El hijo de Sergio Busquets se llama Enzo (The son of Sergio Busquets is called Enzo) Archived 11 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine; Sport, 10 March 2016 (in Spanish)
- ^ "Sergio Busquets da la bienvenida a su segundo hijo" [Sergio Busquets welcomes his second son]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 18 September 2018. Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "The Arabic tattoo of Busquets". FC Barcelona Blog. 25 October 2008. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "Busquets: Sergio Busquets Burgos: 2008–09". BDFutbol. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets". EU-Football.info. Archived from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- ^ "Sergio Busquets". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ Sigal, Jonathan (20 August 2023). "Lionel Messi & Inter Miami are Leagues Cup champions!". MLS Soccer. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ "2010 FIFA World Cup Final". FIFA. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2012 Final". UEFA. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ "France beat Spain to win Nations League". UEFA. Union of European Football Associations. 10 October 2021. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
- ^ a b c Jugadors, F. C. B. "Sergio Busquets Burgos stats | FC Barcelona Players". FCB Jugadors. Archived from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
- ^ "La Liga's Breakthrough Player". Argencias ABC. 13 November 2012. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ "2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa statistics". FIFA. Archived from the original on 11 February 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ "UEFA Champions League squad of the season". UEFA. 9 June 2015. Archived from the original on 13 November 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "La Liga BBVA 2015/16 Team of the Season". La Liga. 2 September 2023. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Atletico dominate UEFA's La Liga team of the season". Marca. 16 May 2016. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
- ^ "Los campeones del mundo de fútbol ya tienen la Real Orden del Mérito Deportivo" [The football World Champions already have the Royal Order of Sporting Merit]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Barcelona. 5 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Sergio Busquets at the Inter Miami CF website
- Sergio Busquets at MLS
- Sergio Busquets at BDFutbol
- Sergio Busquets at National-Football-Teams.com
- Sergio Busquets – UEFA competition record (archive)
- Sergio Busquets – FIFA competition record (archived)
- 1988 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Sabadell
- Spanish men's footballers
- Men's association football midfielders
- FC Barcelona Atlètic players
- FC Barcelona players
- Inter Miami CF players
- Tercera División players
- Segunda División B players
- La Liga players
- UEFA Champions League winning players
- Spain men's under-21 international footballers
- Spain men's international footballers
- Catalonia men's international footballers
- 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players
- 2010 FIFA World Cup players
- UEFA Euro 2012 players
- 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup players
- 2014 FIFA World Cup players
- UEFA Euro 2016 players
- 2018 FIFA World Cup players
- UEFA Euro 2020 players
- 2022 FIFA World Cup players
- UEFA European Championship-winning players
- FIFA World Cup-winning players
- FIFA Men's Century Club
- Designated Players (MLS)
- Spanish expatriate men's footballers
- Spanish expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Major League Soccer players