Spanish footballers Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets put the final stone on their successful sports careers by doing what they know best: winning a trophy. Inter Miami's victory in the MLS Cup final against the Vancouver Whitecaps marked the culmination of the careers of two Catalan players, who are retiring as key figures in the recent history of Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Alba, 36, and Busquets, 37, had announced their retirement at the end of this season, setting December 6th as their desired final day. The MLS Cup was the most relevant domestic title missing from their collections, and the celebration is even more joyful after the setback Inter Miami suffered a year ago when they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs after winning the regular season. Their connection with Messi, dating back to their Barcelona days, created countless chances and goals for the Miami team. Furthermore, Alba's performance allowed him to be named to the MLS Best XI for the 2024 season and voted to this year's All-Star Game. After retiring, Busquets and Alba will remain connected to football, but in different roles. Busquets said he will take a sabbatical year before launching a coaching career, while the left-back will focus on the CE L'Hospitalet project, the club from his hometown where he is part of the board alongside his former Barcelona teammate Thiago Hernández. Both are leaving behind brilliant and almost parallel careers.
