Marcos Llorente leaves the Spanish team after winning the World Cup
AGENCIES – Marcos Llorente, Atletico Madrid’s Spanish defender, announced his retirement from international football with Spain on Thursday at the age of 31 after winning the 2026 World Cup with La Roja.
Llorente announced his decision in a message he posted on his Instagram account, along with a picture of himself kissing the World Cup.
The player said: “After much thought, I have decided to end my career in the national team.”
Llorente confirmed that he realizes that he is still at an age that allows him to continue playing internationally for several years, but he chose to end his career with the national team after personal and in-depth study of the decision.
It is a personal decision, but it is possible to continue
The Atletico Madrid defender explained that his decision may not be understood by everyone, noting that he could continue playing for the national team if he continues to perform well.
He said: “I realize I’m still young and maybe if I keep playing well I’ll have a few more years to wear this shirt.”
He added: “I know many of you won’t understand this decision and I probably wouldn’t understand it myself if I were in your place, but this is a personal decision made after a lot of thought and more importantly, it’s a decision that really hurts me.”
27 matches against “La Roja”.
Llorente made his international debut on November 11, 2020, playing 18 minutes in a friendly against the Netherlands.
The right-back made 27 appearances for Spain without scoring before ending his international career after winning the World Cup.
Llorente did not play in the final match of the World Cup held in North America, but appeared for a few minutes in Spain’s 2–0 victory over France in the semi-final.
The player confirmed that his decision to retire was not related to his limited participation in the tournament or the outcome of the final match.
“Whether I participate in the World Cup or not, whether we win or lose, this decision has already been made,” he said.
“I’m proud to represent my country”
Llorente recalled his memories of playing with the national team during the tournament and expressed his pride at the time he spent in the group that won the World Cup.
He said: “I keep in my memory everything I experienced, especially in the last 52 days, with the participation of a wonderful group of players who fought until the end to take Spain to the highest level.”
He added: “That’s what we did.” “I was very proud to represent my country and be a part of that history.”
Llorente thus ends his international career on a high, having won the World Cup title with his country before deciding to retire.
A career that began at Real Madrid
Llorente started his football career in “Real” Madrid, before moving to the neighboring “Atletico” Madrid in 2019, where he continued his career and established himself in the team.
During his career, the player achieved a number of prominent titles, including the Champions League twice and the Club World Cup in 2017 and 2018 with Real Madrid.
He also won the Spanish league title with Atlético Madrid in the 2020-2021 season.
Following his international retirement, Llorente is turning the page after a 27-game spell with Spain that spanned nearly six years, with his last stop at La Roja winning the World Cup.