From the bright lights of Barcelona to the sunny shores of Florida, Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets have forged one of football’s most enduring partnerships. After playing together at FC Barcelona, the duo reunited at Inter Miami CF, achieving remarkable success in the Major League Soccer (MLS). When Busquets retired at the end of the 2025 MLS season, he left behind not just a decorated career but also a historic milestone shared with Messi.
According to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), Messi and Busquets have played 653 professional matches together, setting a world record for the most games played as a pairing. Football analysts suggest that this record may remain unbroken for decades, underlining the rarity of such longevity at the highest level.
Their collaboration spans both European and American football, with 569 matches for Barcelona and 84 for Inter Miami. Their on-field chemistry began on 13 September 2008, when Messi featured in Busquets’ debut match alongside Gerard Piqué. Since then, their understanding has been a cornerstone of both clubs’ successes.
Busquets also holds the second-highest combined match record with a teammate—his fellow Spaniard Gerard Piqué. Together, they played 620 matches, comprising 533 for Barcelona and 87 for the Spain national team.
Key Match Records
| Player Pairing | Club/National Team | Matches Played Together |
|---|---|---|
| Messi – Busquets | Barcelona | 569 |
| Messi – Busquets | Inter Miami | 84 |
| Messi – Busquets | Total | 653 |
| Busquets – Piqué | Barcelona | 533 |
| Busquets – Piqué | Spain | 87 |
| Busquets – Piqué | Total | 620 |
| Manuel Neuer – Thomas Müller | Bayern Munich | 611 |
Only a few partnerships in professional football have exceeded 600 matches together, making Messi-Busquets’ record extraordinarily rare. Recently, IFFHS noted that Manuel Neuer and Thomas Müller of Bayern Munich played 611 games together, placing them just behind Busquets’ Barcelona pairings.
Although Messi and Busquets currently play for different clubs, the possibility of them sharing a pitch again cannot be entirely ruled out—albeit unlikely. For now, their record stands as a testament to enduring skill, teamwork, and mutual understanding.
It is important to note that these statistics include only top-level competitive matches in which both players appeared on the field, excluding friendlies or non-official fixtures.