Inter Miami defender Jordi Alba (L) and forward Lionel Messi celebrate a goal against the New England Revolution on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Photo by Christobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA
Inter Miami defender Jordi Alba will retire at the end of the 2025 MLS season, he announced Tuesday on Instagram.
Alba, 36, signed a contract extension in May, and he was to stay with the Herons through the 2027 season.
“The moment has come to close a truly meaningful chapter in my life,” the Spanish fullback wrote on the social media platform. “I’ve decided to bring my professional football career to an end at the conclusion of this season.
“I do so with complete conviction, peace and happiness. Because I feel I’ve walked this path with every ounce of passion I had and now it’s the right time to open a new chapter and close the previous one with the best possible feeling.”
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Alba, who has played in more than 700 matches, started his senior career in 2006 at Cornella. He then played at Valencia and Barcelona.
Barcelona announced in 2023 that Alba would leave the club. Alba, who joined Barcelona’s youth academy in 1998, signed with Inter Miami that July, joining former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets.
Alba totaled 10 goals and 27 assists over 63 MLS regular-season matches. He also helped the Herons win the inaugural 2024 Leagues Cup and the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, when they set a league record for single-season points.
“Thank you to all my colleagues, staff and everyone with whom I shared so many beautiful and unforgettable moments,” Alba wrote. “The best thing I take away is you all. Thanks to the fans around the world for their love and respect. I hope I was able to give back a small part of everything you’ve meant to me.
“These will be my last months on the pitch. I am retiring very happy, proud, fulfilled and above all grateful. Thank you very much, see you soon. All end is a new beginning.”
Alba also scored 10 times over 93 appearances for Spain. He participated in three World Cups and won EUFA European Championship and UEFA Nations League titles with the Spaniards.
Busquets announced last month that he also planned to retire after the 2025 season. The Herons (17-7-8), who already qualified for the MLS playoffs, sit in third place, three points behind second-place FC Cincinnati (19-9-5) and seven points behind the first-place Philadelphia Union (20-7-6).
They will host Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Herons will take on Nashville SC in their regular-season finale Oct. 18 in Nashville.
