Sergio Busquets retires from Spain national team

Spain's midfield mainstay and 2010 World Cup hero Sergio Busquets has declared his retirement from international play. Busquets, 34, will retire from international play after winning the 2012 European Championship and making 143 appearances for Spain, the national team said on Friday. Sergio Ramos (180 games) and Iker Casillas (167) are the only Spanish players with more caps.

Sergio Busquets led Spain as captain in the World Cup in Qatar. He was one of three Spaniards who failed to convert from the spot in the team's heart-breaking round of 16 shootout loss to Morocco.

Since the Barcelona defensive midfielder was the sole survivor of South Africa's world championship team still participating for his country, his retirement marks the end of an era for Spain. Only Jordi Alba has won a major title in the Spanish national team, with his success at Euro 2012.


The tall Busquets was vital to the success of Spain and Barcelona when he started with Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta.



Sergio Busquets has always been a player who did things differently than the rest of his peers. His coaches deemed him indispensable because of his deft passing in tight spaces, long legs that boxed out opponents, and extraordinary ability to hold possession under stress, even though he was neither fast nor a threat to score. In addition to his success with Spain, he was instrumental in Barcelona's three Champions League titles and other victories.

FAQs:

1. How old is Sergio Busquets?
   He is 34 years old.
2. How many Champion Leagues has Sergio Busquets won?
   He has a record of four La Liga championships and two Champions League titles.