"You will have seen it like this" - Barcelona manager Xavi sends message to Sergio Busquets after international retirement 

Barcelona head coach Xavi has lavished praise on Sergio Busquets after the Spain captain announced that he is retiring from international football. Xavi believes his former teammate is one of the best holding midfielders in the world.

Busquets announced his retirement on Friday (December 16) in a lengthy Instagram post. The news comes after Spain's knockout from the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Morocco in the Round of 16, a game they lost 3-0 on penalties.

Busquets missed his penalty in the shootout as well, an unfortunate end to a prolific international career. The Spain international was part of the 2010 World Cup winning squad that included his now coach Xavi and legendary Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta. The three stars forged a dangerous midfield, the heart of the tiki-taka playstyle.

Since his debut in 2009, Busquets has won a whopping 143 caps for his national outfit.

Following Busquets' retirement, Xavi said (via Barcelona's official Twitter account):

“In the end it’s a personal decision that you make when you feel the time is right. You will have seen it like this. I wish you luck. He is a player who has made history, a legend. One of the best midfielders in world soccer and the best defensive midfielder in the history of Spain. I congratulate him.”

Xavi also admitted to the silver lining in that Busquets will now be able to focus more on club football. This is certainly good news for the Barcelona boss, as he added:

"Now he will be able to rest a little bit more and focus on Barca 100 percent."

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Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets' international retirement announcement

Busquets announced his retirement from international football in a heartfelt post on Instagram. The Spanish midfielder took to social media, reflecting on his time on the international stage. He also extended his gratitude to everyone who helped nurture his career.

The Barcelona legend wrote:

“Hello to all! I would like to announce that after almost 15 years and 143 games, the time has come to say goodbye to the national team. I would like to thank all the people who have been with me on this long road. From Vicente del Bosque who gave me the opportunity to start, to Luis Enrique for making me enjoy until the last second. Also thank the trust of Julen Lopetegui, Fernando Hierro or Robert Moreno, as well as all their staff.”

He added:

“Finally, I can only wish all the luck in the world to my teammates and the new coach Luis de la Fuente. Now I will be one more fan, enjoy and support our national team unconditionally. Eternal thanks.”

Several reports claim that Busquets could also leave Barcelona at the end of the season and move to the MLS.