Gracias, Busi
“If you watch the game, you don’t see Busquets. But if you watch Busquets, you see the whole game”. This lyrical description from the great Vicente del Bosque is a perfect encapsulation of the role Sergio Busquets has played for club and country for almost 15 years.
On Friday, the Spanish captain announced his retirement from international football, following Spain’s disappointingly-early exit from the World Cup. There was to be no fairytale ending, no fitting farewell, as he was the third and final Spaniard to fail to convert in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Morocco. When Luis Enrique announced his own departure last week, it became more likely that Busquets would follow.
But this is not how Busquets should – or will be – remembered. Bursting onto the scene in 2008/09, he was one of those plucked straight from Barcelona B by Pep Guardiola, and he quickly became integral to the Catalan side.
In international terms, it took a little while longer, but he made his senior debut on April 1st, 2009. Busquets was no fool, though, knowing how difficult it would be to break into a team that had won the Euros in 2008.
Fortunately, Marcos Senna was at the opposite end of his career, so there was a spot available. Little did we all know that Busquets would go on to revolutionise the pivot, let alone make the position his own. Incidentally, Marcos Senna only started two more games for Spain following Busquets’ debut. The evolution had quietly already happened.
In 2010, Busquets was part of the iconic side which conquered the World, playing every minute of their six victories in South Africa from the second group game onwards. He was then fundamental to the side which retained their European Championship crown in 2012. As of now, nobody has played more World Cup games for Spain than Busquets (17), while his 143 caps is only surpassed by Sergio Ramos (180) and Iker Casillas (167).
Luis Rubiales, President of the Spanish Football Federation, said: “Sergio is a player who will transcend generations for his immense legacy”, before adding “[he] is a silent, serene leader and admired by all for his humility and naturalness.” Very few would disagree with those assessments, as his first international coach hinted at all those years ago. Busquets would often go through games unnoticed to the untrained eye, other players with more flair and flamboyance took all the limelight.
His team-mate Jordi Alba called him “unique”, while his former midfield partner and current club coach, Xavi, proclaimed him as “the best holding midfielder in Spain’s history”. High praise indeed from two players who know him intimately, and there was more from wider footballing royalty.
Back in May this year, Juan Román Riquelme told ESPN: “Busquets confused World football”. Meant in the highest possible complimentary terms, Riquelme knows a thing or two about redefining positions to almost mythological levels.
It appears likely that Busquets will leave Barça in the summer too, bringing another chapter to an end. Often unnoticed, perhaps, but he will never be forgotten. His legacy may well come to be summarised by the old adage – you never know what you had until it’s gone.