👓 We didn't see this coming: Llorente retires from Spain duty

Marcos Llorente is retiring from the Spanish national team. The Atlético de Madrid player announced it unexpectedly on his Instagram profile.

The world champion is hanging up his boots in international football at the age of 31 after a brief career with the national team that began in 2020.

"I am aware that I am still young and that, perhaps, if I kept doing things well, I would still have years left to keep playing in this shirt. I know many of you will not understand it and, surely, I would not have understood it from the outside either," he explains in his letter. A decision he describes as "very carefully considered" and, above all, "deeply felt."

Marcos Llorente admits that he had already decided to bring his time with Spain to an end before the World Cup and that his limited involvement in it did not influence his decision.

With Spain, Llorente took part in Euro 2021, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and the 2026 World Cup.

"It has been an honor to represent my country and to be part of this history. Thank you for everything," he concludes in his letter.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

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