Marcos Llorente retires from Spain duty after World Cup

Marcos Llorente has announced his retirement from international football, bringing a surprise end to his time with Spain shortly after being part of the squad that won the World Cup.

The Atletico Madrid player confirmed the decision in a social media post published on Thursday, 3 September. Llorente said the call had come after long consideration and described it as a deeply personal choice.

Llorente steps away from La Roja

In his message, Llorente acknowledged that many supporters may struggle to understand why he has chosen to stop representing Spain while still relatively young. He also admitted that, from the outside, he might have viewed the decision in the same way himself.

Even so, he made clear that the choice had already been made regardless of recent events with the national team. That means he will not continue his international career with La Roja despite Spain's latest success on the biggest stage.

After long reflection, Llorente said he had decided to end his journey with the national team, calling it a personal decision that had been carefully thought through.

Part of Spain's World Cup-winning squad

Llorente featured three times during the World Cup campaign. He started the matches against Cape Verde and Uruguay, and later came off the bench in the semi-final against France.

In the closing part of his statement, he thanked the people he had met during his years with Spain and said the experience had given him and his family unforgettable moments. He reserved special praise for the final 52 days of the campaign, describing the group as a wonderful squad that fought until the end to deliver victory for Spain.

He added that it had been an honour to represent his country and to be part of that chapter in the national team's history.

A short but decorated international career

Llorente made his Spain debut in November 2020 at the age of 25. He went on to play 19 matches for the national side and was involved in every major tournament during that period.

• Spain debut: November 2020
• Age on debut: 25
• International appearances: 19
• Club: Atletico Madrid since 2019

The midfielder also won the European Championship with Spain in Germany in 2024 before adding World Cup glory more recently. Those achievements make his decision all the more striking, with Llorente stepping away from the international stage after a period of sustained success with La Roja.

For Spain, it closes the chapter on a player who remained part of the squad through a successful era. For Llorente, it is a deliberate full stop, taken on his own terms despite the prospect of more years in the national team shirt.