MIAMI — Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba probably never imagined, when they were linking up passes with Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona, dazzling fans at Camp Nou, that the final game of their careers could be at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

But that is where they and their Inter Miami teammates will be for the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal game at 5 p.m. Sunday, a single-elimination match that will determine whether Busquets and Alba (“Busi” and “Jordi”) extend their storied careers another week or walk away from the game without an MLS Cup trophy.

Busquets, 37, and Alba, 36, who joined Messi at Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, announced within weeks of each other in September that they would retire at the end of this season.

They have won just about every trophy they aimed for over the years, but the MLS Cup is one that has eluded them. They won the 2023 inaugural Leagues Cup trophy, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and helped the club set the league record for most points in a single season.

Inter Miami failed to make the playoffs in 2023 and made a shocking first-round exit last season at the hands of Atlanta United. This year, they entered as the No. 3 seed in the East, highly motivated to finally win the championship. They trounced Nashville 4-0 in the decisive game of the first round best-of-3 series.

For Busquets and Alba, Sunday’s game has added significance. If Inter Miami loses, it will mark the end of an era for the former Barcelona teammates.

“Well, since the announcement came, I knew there was less and less time left,” Busquets said on Wednesday before training. “This competition is all playoffs, knowing that you can be eliminated at any moment. I’ve accepted it all, I’m enjoying it, and I’m eager to try and extend it for two more games.

“Winning the trophy would be a very good way to say goodbye, so, I’m focused on what’s next, which is the game with Cincinnati, an important match. But personally, knowing that the end of my career is getting closer, I’m calm because my decision was already taken. I faced this situation already against Nashville, knowing it could be the end, but we won and were able to extend the season another week.”

Busquets said he expects an extremely difficult game on the road against Cincinnati; and though it does not measure up to some of the high-stakes games he played in the height of his career, he is highly motivated and said it is an honor to be part of the growth of the club and his teammates.

Inter Miami fans would be wise to record mental images of Busquets and Alba on Sunday, or record their highlights from the TV screen, because once they are gone, Inter Miami will never look the same.

There will be no more Alba streaks down the left flank. No more Alba somehow saving the ball in bounds when it is inches from going out. No more telepathic crosses from Alba to Messi from the left side into the box.

As for Busquets, his way of playing defensive midfield is truly revolutionary and will be hard to replace.

The gangly Spaniard is not known for speed or athleticism, but rather for his soccer IQ, his timely tackles, his ability to shield the ball from defenders and win tackles by sticking out his long leg, stealing the ball cleanly, and then sending it forward into the attack.

He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He finds gaps to pass into that other players don’t see. He is even smart about when and how he draws fouls.

“He was a player who changed the way people think of the central midfielder,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said recently. “Before Busi arrived, central midfielders played more specific roles. Like in my case, I was a defensive, ball-winning midfielder. His very unique way of playing the position led to more players like him. There would be no Rodri [Hernandez] without Busi. That’s my opinion. He has created a school and is one of the best holding midfielders I have ever seen in my life.”

Yannick Bright, Inter Miami’s 24-year-old midfielder, has expressed numerous times his admiration for Busquets and appreciation for the mentorship he has provided on and off the field.

“Busi is the best that’s ever played that position,” Bright said. “Let’s be realistic, it’s really hard for me to play like him. He sees things differently. He moves in a different way, dictates the tempo, finds some passes I couldn’t even think of, to be honest.

“But those are things you learn with time, and I try to soak up as much as I can, trying to understand how he plays and what he thinks. One thing I’ve learned from him is to focus on the forward pass and to look for Leo [Messi], no matter where he is.”

The most often-quoted description of Busquets came from former Spanish national coach Vicente del Bosque, who said: “You watch the game, you don’t see Busquets. You watch Busquets, you see the whole game. If I could come back and play as any player, it would be Sergio Busquets.”

Mascherano added that he hopes Inter Miami players use the impending retirements of Busquets and Alba as inspiration to reach peak form in these critical playoff games.

“Hopefully their final game won’t be until December, and then they can leave in the best way.”

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