World Cup winner Marcos Llorente retires from Spain team

Madrid (AP) — On Thursday, World Cup champion Marcos Llorente announced his retirement from the Spanish national team. The 31-year-old right back, who has earned 27 caps, revealed his decision on Instagram, citing it as a "very carefully considered" personal choice. The Atletico Madrid player had already decided before the World Cup that he was ready to hang up his boots.

While acknowledging he was still young and could have more years playing for Spain, Llorente emphasized that it was a deeply felt, personal decision. He expressed immense gratitude to the people who made his experiences memorable and cherished the time spent with the team during the 2024 European Championship.