Messi is slowly seeing off Barcelona’s dream team — Jordi Alba is ending his career

Few players have redefined their position like Jordi Alba. Short in stature, explosive off the mark, tirelessly running, and with a striker’s instinct, he became the full-back equivalent of a winger. He was a player who knew how to burst through space, arrive from the second line onto a pass from Lionel Messi, and find the perfect solution even in the toughest situations.

The Spanish left-back has announced that he will retire from professional football at the end of Inter Miami’s MLS playoff campaign. In doing so, he becomes the second longtime teammate of Lionel Messi to decide to end his career, following Sergio Busquets, who had his farewell ceremony at the same club just a few days ago.

“It’s time to close a truly important chapter in my life. I’ve decided to end my professional career at the end of this season. I leave completely calm and happy, because I’ve played all these years with full passion. Now is the right moment to open a new chapter and close the previous one with the best possible feeling,” Alba wrote on social media.

Although he had a contract with Inter Miami until 2027, the 36-year-old chose to call time after three decades of active play. He joined the Miami club shortly after Lionel Messi announced his move to MLS in June 2023, later followed by Busquets and Luis Suarez, turning Inter into a kind of “Barcelona in exile.”

During his illustrious career at Barcelona, Alba won six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies, the 2015 Champions League, as well as numerous Super Cups and international honors. He was a mainstay in the Spanish national team, winning the 2012 European Championship, and became known for his exceptional speed, precise crosses, and perfect understanding of the game with Messi.

His retirement symbolically closes one of the most beautiful eras in football — an era in which Alba, Busquets, Messi, and Suarez formed the backbone of a Barcelona side that captivated the world.