Lionel Messi openly showed his emotions after teammate Sergio Busquets announced his retirement.
Last weekend, Inter Miami held a heartfelt tribute ceremony for the legend Sergio Busquets, who officially declared his retirement from professional football. The 36-year-old midfielder concluded a glorious career spanning nearly two decades.
Busquets joined Inter Miami in 2023 to reunite with his former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi. After the match against New England, the club organized a warm farewell ceremony on the pitch. Busquets’ family was also present, walking with him onto the grass during this solemn moment as Inter Miami presented a giant jersey inscribed with “Gracias Sergio,” expressing deep gratitude for his tremendous contributions to world football.
Notably, Busquets’ very close teammate Lionel Messi was also on the field, showing clear emotions. The moment Messi bowed his head, held his forehead, and looked heavy-heartedly at his close friend Sergio Busquets receiving the tribute jersey was perhaps one of the most touching images fans have ever witnessed.
Messi seemed unable to believe that the teammate who had shared so many triumphs with him at Barcelona and Inter Miami was officially saying goodbye to the pitch. He stood silently, bowed his head, as if trying to hide the overwhelming sorrow swelling in his chest.
Few noticed, but Messi was truly broken in that moment, understanding that a great era was coming to an end, and his closest friends in football were gradually leaving one by one.
Fans rarely see Messi like this. And perhaps, he is not yet ready for the day he himself must say farewell.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets shared a deep bond throughout more than a glorious decade at Barcelona, conquering every prestigious title from La Liga, Champions League to the FIFA Club World Cup. On the field, Busquets was the silent brain supporting Messi’s brilliance; off the field, they were close friends sharing an extraordinary journey from Camp Nou to Inter Miami.