Sergio Busquets, a former Barcelona and Spain international, announced on Thursday that he would leave the sport at the end of the 2025 Major League Soccer campaign.
In a social media post, the 37-year-old midfielder made the announcement.
“These will be my final months on the pitch,” I said. In a video posted on Busquets’ Instagram page, he stated, “I’m retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled, and above all grateful.”
“Thank you all so much, and football for everything.” You’ll always be a part of this lovely tale.
Read more about PSG Captain Marquinhos’ exit with a thigh injury.
On September 24, 2025, in the Flushing neighborhood of New York City’s Queens borough, Inter Miami CF’s Sergio Busquets #5 stands on the field before the game against New York City FC at Citi Field. (Photo by ELSA/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)
Busquets is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders ever and is a graceful, accomplished player known for his poise and calmness on the ball.
He played a significant role in Barcelona’s nine Spanish league victories and won three Champions League titles.
With 143 caps, he was a member of the Spain team that won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.
Football fans are facing “extremely worrying trends” in safety and security at Uefa matches across Europe, supporters ‘ groups have told the BBC.
Next week’s Uefa Champions League fixtures include two ties – Napoli’s home game with Frankfurt and Ajax’s visit to Marseille – to which away fans have been banned from travelling by local authorities.
Meanwhile, Liverpool supporters have been told they must take hours-long buses with no access to toilet facilities for their match against Galatasaray in Istanbul, and been warned that items including phone power banks, medication and women’s hygiene products will be confiscated before entry.
“We have public authorities that are giving up and saying that they can’t do their job”, said Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe. “It is an extremely worrying trend. There should be consequences to this, but unfortunately at the moment this is not the case”.
The practice of regional police forces banning away fans at some matches, particularly in France and Italy, has become more common in recent years.
In some cases where fans are allowed to travel, they are banned from visiting the centre of the host city – this was the case when Tottenham visited France’s Rennes in 2021.
“We understand that some fan bases can be harder to host than others, but banning away fans from traveling is not a response to any of this”, Evain added.
“It is really disappointing to see that there’s no progress in France and Italy. It’s an easy response to a complicated problem.
” Opening an away end and providing 5% of tickets to the away fans is part of Uefa’s rules, just like the size of the pitch or anything else. Travel bans are the public authorities ‘ way of saying saying, ‘ Sorry, we are deciding not to respect that rule, and we are not capable of hosting the game properly’.
“If public authorities said something like ‘ the roof is not safe, we can’t organise the game properly’, then the match would be played somewhere else”.
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Meanwhile, Liverpool supporters have criticised the regimented travel conditions that police are set to enforce in Istanbul.
A spokesperson for Liverpool supporters ‘ union Spirit of Shankly (SOS) told the BBC it was “indefensible”.
“Being forced onto a limited fleet of buses with no toilets or accessibility, having everyday items confiscated, including phone power banks and even medical items in previous fixtures, is degrading and unsafe”, they said.
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Turkey is due to co-host Euro 2032 alongside Italy.
“The hosting conditions in Turkey are extremely worrying and we see no sign of progress”, Evain said. “Turkish public authorities are creating an extremely hostile environment for visiting fans”.
After the chaos at the 2022 Uefa Champions League final, an independent panel of experts commissioned by Uefa found the governing body at fault, and made a series of recommendations including one that Uefa should take more responsibility for the safe running of events in its competitions.
“Uefa can’t keep washing their hands”, the SOS spokesperson added. “They signed up to the Saint-Denis Convention, which sets out that supporters ‘ journeys – from city to stadium and back – must be safe, secure and welcoming.
Like the rest of us, the Irish TV presenter is a big fan of the change in seasons – and it’s for more than one reason, with a study showing Brit’s favourite things about the seasonal change
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Angela Scanlon admits she ‘loves’ autumn(Image: PinPep)
As autumn creeps in around the corner, it turns out Brits aren’t too sad to say goodbye to the summer months.
Instead, as the nights became darker most Brits relish snuggling up under a warm blanket after a long day or warming their hands with a hot drink. And it turns out TV presenter Angela Scanlon is a huge fan too.
The Irish personality and her walking club, ‘Hot Messers’, teamed up with Costa Coffee for a stroll through Epping Forest to celebrate the return of autumn, and the return of the brand’s Maple Hazel range, where she shared her love for all things autumn.
She said “I absolutely love autumn and not just because it matches my hair. It sneaks in with its crunchy leaves and smug sunsets and suddenly I’m wearing knitwear like it’s a personality trait.
“It’s the only season that actually wants you to slow down and let’s face it we could all do with a nap. It’s the ultimate reset – a season of hot drinks, half-baked plans for weekend escapes, and full permission to lean into cosy like it’s a competitive sport”
Research commissioned by Costa Coffee of 5,000 adults reported that a third turn into a ‘cosy comfort seeker’ as soon as the season starts to shift. It found Brits love to snuggle up in doors while they listen to the sound of the rain outside where they can light candles and eat their favourite comfort food.
According to the study, some of the other top 20 things about autumn include crunchy leaves underfoot, curling up with good books and evenings with puzzles or games.
More than half of autumn-lovers admitted they have a tendency to romanticise the season and think of it in an overly positive way. Admitting it makes them feel nostalgic, and more reflective or thoughtful.
However, nearly four in 10 enjoy dressing more for autumn, with these saying the top reasons are they can mix style with comfort – or break out the chunky boots.
On average, people who enjoy a hot drink have four more hot drinks every week in autumn than they do in summertime. They’re also likely to try a new autumnal season hot drink when they launch.
For 15 per cent seasonal drinks are one of the things they love most about autumn coffee shop visits – while 17 per cent enjoy the rich aroma of fresh coffee.
Gennaro Pelliccia, spokesperson at Costa Coffee, added: “As Angela says, autumn invites reflection and comfort. We see every day how a hot drink can be part of that – a small ritual that makes the season feel special.
“Our autumn range celebrates exactly that sense of slowing down and savouring the moment. ”
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Top 20 best things about autumn
Switching to your cosy wardrobe (e. g. , jumpers, fleeces, joggers etc. )
Snuggling under a blanket after a long day
Crunchy leaves underfoot
The sound of rain while you’re indoors
Drawing the curtains early and settling in for the night
The golden hour light hitting the trees
Drinking hot chocolate with whipped cream
Going for a walk that ends at a cafe
Lighting seasonal candles
Getting into bed early ‘just because it’s dark’
Swapping salads for stews
Wearing thick socks
Batch cooking hearty meals
The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg
Cosy evenings with board games or puzzles
Warming your freezing hands on a takeaway coffee cup
Meg Jones, an Englishwoman, explains how the Red Roses’ run to the Women’s Rugby World Cup final has helped her gain a new perspective on life thanks to the loss of her parents to cancer and alcoholism.
WATCH MORE: England last won the Rugby World Cup.
On Saturday at 15:00 BST, watch England v. Canada live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
Meg Jones, an Englishwoman, explains how the Red Roses’ run to the Women’s Rugby World Cup final has helped her gain a new perspective on life thanks to the loss of her parents to cancer and alcoholism.
WATCH MORE: England last won the Rugby World Cup.
On Saturday at 15:00 BST, watch England v. Canada live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell has died at the age of 84.
Sir Menzies, or Ming as he was widely known, led the Liberal Democrats from 2006 to 2007 and was the MP for North East Fife at Westminster for 28 years.
In his first career as a sprinter, he held the UK 100m record from 1967 to 1974 and ran in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics – being dubbed The Flying Scotsman.
He said: “His principled leadership opposing the Iraq War was a mark of his morality, courage and wisdom.
Sir Menzies died peacefully in London following a period of respite care. His grandson was with him.
His family said one of his final days was spent watching the Liberal Democrats Party Conference, and enjoying watching video messages from political friends.
Sir Menzies first stood as a candidate in 1976, but did not win his constituency for 11 years.
He made his name as the party’s foreign affairs spokesman, a position he held for 14 years and was a renowned critic of the Iraq war.
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First Minister John Swinney said: “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lord Campbell – one of the most distinguished and well-liked political figures of his generation.
“I first got to know him well as a newly-elected MP where he welcomed me and helped me adapt to life in House of Commons. Over the years since, we often worked together on the many issues on which we agreed.”
He said Sir Menzies was “a passionate believer in a better Scotland” but also a strong internationalist – keen to build consensus and find common ground.
“Those entering public service today could learn much from his style – always forthright in speaking up for what he believed in, but never anything other than respectful, courteous and polite to his political opponents,” Swinney said.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said Sir Menzies was one of the “most respected politicians of his generation”.
He said: “The first political thing I ever did was to deliver leaflets for Ming on the morning of his first election to Parliament in 1987.
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Wendy Chamberlain, current MP for North East Fife, said Sir Menzies “remained a significant figure” in the area.
She added: “His contributions to our communities, to the University of St Andrews, as well as to Scotland and the UK were immeasurable.
“Although he found the passing of his beloved Elspeth difficult, rather than retreat, until the last weeks of his life, he was still travelling to London to contribute in the House of Lords.”
Born Walter Menzies Campbell on 22 May 1941, Sir Menzies was brought up in a Glasgow tenement.
He was educated at Hillhead High School and went on to the University of Glasgow, where he was a contemporary of both John Smith and Donald Dewar studying Law and debating in the union.
Sprinting record
Sir Menzies was called to the Scottish bar in 1968 and made a QC (latterly KC) in 1982. The law gave him a lucrative career and he continued to practise throughout his time in politics.
His wife of more than 50 years, Elspeth, died in June 2023 – he described her as his “constant political companion, always my encouragement and forever my first line of defence”.
The couple were married in June 1970, just three months after first meeting.
During his athletics career, Sir Menzies captained the British men’s team at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica.
A year later he set a new British 100m record of 10.2 seconds – beating a young OJ Simpson in the process. The record stood until 1972.
Menzies Campbell’s contribution to our politics was far greater than his short spell as party leader suggests.
His was an extremely well informed voice on defence and foreign affairs which was central to the public debate during and after the Iraq war.
He and his late wife Elspeth were the best of political company with a great deal of insight into the Westminster issues and characters of the day.
In many ways Elspeth was more ambitious for her husband than he was for himself. His period as party leader was not a happy one.
He was on the receiving end of a persistent ageism – caricatured as a grandfatherly figure with his best days behind him when compared with rival leaders like Tony Blair and David Cameron.
When appearing on TV for interview he always insisted on wearing a tie because he felt it was what his constituents would expect.
But I knew he’d given in to modernising advisers who wrongly thought they could reinvent his image when one Sunday morning he appeared in our studio in an open-necked shirt. It was not long before he resigned.
