Marcos Llorente retires from international football after Spain’s World Cup triumph

Marcos Llorente has announced his retirement from international football after helping Spain win the 2026 World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final.

The Atletico de Madrid player confirmed his decision in a statement shortly after Spain lifted the trophy, bringing an end to his career with the national team at the age of 31.

“After deep consideration, I have decided to end my career with the national team.

“I understand that I am still young and that, if I continued performing well, I might have had several more years ahead of me wearing this shirt.

“I know that many of you will not understand my decision, and perhaps I would not have understood it either if I had been outside the team. But it is a personal decision, considered with the greatest care and, above all, one that comes from deep within my heart.

“Regardless of whether I played at the World Cup or not, or whether we won or not, this decision had already been made.

“I can only express my eternal gratitude to everyone I have met during these years, who gave me and my family the chance to experience unique and unforgettable moments.

“I will treasure everything I have lived through, especially these past 52 days, with this wonderful team that fought until the end to put Spain at the top. And they did it.

“It was an honour to represent my country and to be part of this history.

“Thank you for everything.

“Best wishes to everyone.”

Llorente played 186 minutes at the 2026 World Cup, making two starts in the group stage against Cape Verde and Uruguay.

He also came on as a substitute for the final six minutes of Spain’s semi-final against France. Llorente created the winning goal in Spain’s match against Uruguay, with Alex Baena scoring.

His contribution to the tournament came as Spain completed a successful campaign by beating Argentina 1-0 in the final. Llorente’s announcement means he will leave international football as a world champion.

He made his Spain debut in 2020 under then-manager Luis Enrique and went on to win 27 international caps, creating four goals.

Llorente was able to operate both as a right-back and in midfield during his career. At club level, he has played for Atletico de Madrid since 2019, when he moved to the club from city rivals Real Madrid.

His decision had been made before the World Cup, meaning it was not dependent on whether he featured in the tournament or whether Spain ultimately won the competition. He said the choice was personal and had been reached after careful thought.

Llorente also acknowledged that supporters might find the timing difficult to understand, given his age and his continued ability to contribute on the pitch. However, he said the opportunity to represent Spain had been an honour and expressed his gratitude for the experiences shared with the national team and his family.