Sergio Busquets

Profile Football Stars | Sergio Busquets | Busquets was born in Badia del Valles, Barcelona, Catalonia. In 2005, he joined FC Barcelona's local youth ranks, scoring seven goals in 26 matches for the Juvenil A team in his second season. In That same season, Busquets would the make his first team debut, in a Catalonia Cup match, coming on as a substitute. On 13 September 2008, Busquets played his first La Liga match, 90 minutes in a 1-1 home draw against Racing de Santander. During Barcelona's UEFA Champions League match against FC Basel at St. Jakob-Park on 22 October 2008, he scored the second goal in the 15th minute in a 5-0 group stage win. On 22 December, Busquets signed a contract extension until 2013, with a buy-out clause of € 80 million.

Busquets' fine form continued in the 2009-10 season, with Guardiola preferring him to Barcelona's Yaya Toure as holding midfielder. Ironically, the incident involved Busquets and Thiago Motta, another graduate of Barcelona's famous La Masia academy. Motta had spent five years in Barcelona's first team Between 2002 and 2007 and, coincidentally, had been playing for the Catalans in the same role as holding midfielder Busquets. Busquets was again ever-diving for Barcelona in 2010-11, even playing as a central defender on occasion. On 8 March, playing at center back, he scored an own goal from a corner kick against Arsenal, in the season's Champions League round of 16, leveling the score at 1-1. Barcelona eventually won the game 3-1 (and 4-3 on aggregate).

On 11 October 2008, Busquets earned his first cap for Spain's under-21, in their 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification play-offs first leg match, against Switzerland. He scored in the 17th minute but Spain lost the match 2-1, eventually emerging victorious 4-3 on aggregate. Busquets finally made his debut for La Furia Roja on 1 April 2009, in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Turkey , playing 16 minutes in a 2-1 win in Istanbul, after Replacing David Silva.

Personal information
Full name Sergio Busquets Burgos
Date of birth 16 July 1988 (age 23)
Place of birth Badia del Valles, Spain
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder

Club information
Current club Barcelona
Number 16

Youth career
CD Badia
Barbera Andalucía
Lleida 1999-2003
2003-2005 Unio Jabac
Barcelona 2005-2007

Senior career
years Team
2006 Barcelona C 1 (0)
2007-2008 Barcelona B 32 (1)
2008-Barcelona 106 (2)

National team
2008-2009 Spain U21 3 (1)
2008-Spain 38 (0)
2008-Catalonia 4 (0)

Honours

Barcelona
     La Liga (3): 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11
     Copa del Rey (1): 2008-09: Runner-up 2010-11
     Supercopa de España (3): 2009, 2010, 2011
     UEFA Champions League (2): 2008-09, 2010-11
     UEFA Super Cup (2): 2009, 2011
     FIFA Club World Cup (2): 2009, 2011

Spain
     FIFA World Cup: 2010
     FIFA Confederations Cup: Third-place 2009

Individual
     La Liga's Breakthrough Player: 2009
     Bravo Award: 2009

Decorations
     Prince of Asturias Awards: 2010
     Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit: 2011