Busquets hangs up his boots: the underrated genius says goodbye

There were players kids idolized, shouting their names after scoring on school pitches. And then there was Sergio Busquets - without whom many of those idols wouldnt have been what they were. Awkward-looking, often theatrical when falling to the ground, rarely loved outside Barcelona, but always indispensable.

Today, at 37, Busquets announced that he will retire at the end of the MLS season with Inter Miami.

"Thank you, football. Thank you so much," he wrote in an emotional message on social media accompanied by a video.

From his debut under Pep Guardiola in 2008, Busquets collected everything: nine La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues, seven Copas del Rey, three Club World Cups, and much more. With Spain, he earned 142 caps in the golden era - World Cup title in 2010, European champion in 2012.

Curiously, UEFA never included him in a Team of the Season. Others like Lahm, Kante, Kroos, Xavi and Iniesta, took the spotlight. Yet few would deny Busquets was the best holding midfielder of his generation, a maestro who made others shine.

Respected by teammates and rivals alike, his farewell triggered tributes across football. Sergio Ramos summed it up best: "Busi, you are the definition of being extraordinary while staying humble. Football loses one of the most brilliant midfielders I've ever played with."

Busquets leaves, understated to the very end, but with the legacy of a legend who was never celebrated enough.