World Cup winner Marcos Llorente retires from Spain team

MADRID (AP) — World Cup winner Marcos Llorente retired from Spain’s team on Thursday.

The 31-year-old right back, who has won 27 caps, said on Instagram that it was a “very carefully considered” personal decision.

The post came accompanied by a photo of him holding the trophy he helped Spain win in July. The Atletico Madrid player said he had already made up his mind before the World Cup.

“I am aware that I am still young and that, perhaps, if I continued to do things well, I still had years left to play in this jersey,” Llorente said. “I know that many of you won’t understand, and I probably wouldn’t have understood it from the outside either. But it is a personal decision, very carefully considered and, above all, deeply felt.

“I can only be eternally grateful to all the people I have met during these years who have made it possible for my family and me to experience unique and unforgettable moments. I will cherish everything I have experienced, but above all, these last 52 days. With a wonderful group that fought until the very end to put Spain on top. And they did.”

Llorente’s first appeared for Spain in 2020. He also made the squad for the 2022 World Cup, but was not in the team that won the 2024 European Championship.

“It has been an honor to represent my country and be a part of this history,” he said.

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