Player Marcos Llorente, 31 years old, announced on Thursday his retirement from the Spanish national team. The right-back from Atlético de Madrid was part of the World Cup winning squad in 2026, held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, where he played in three matches during the title campaign.
With 27 games for the Spanish national team, Llorente ended his stint with the national team after starting his journey in 2020. He participated in Euro 2020 and the World Cups in 2022 and 2026, but was left out of the European title won by Spain in 2024.
The player became a starter at right-back for much of his international career, but ended up losing his position to Pedro Porro, one of Spain's standout players at the 2026 World Cup.
In a text posted on social media, Llorente explained that the decision was personal and made after much reflection. He acknowledged that he is still young and could continue playing for the national team, but stated that the choice was deeply thought through and felt, even aware that many people would not understand his decision.
