Marcos Llorente retired from international football on September 3, 2026, at age 31, ending his six-year career with Spain’s national team [1, 2, 3]. He earned 27 caps between 2020 and 2026 but did not score any international goals during that period [1, 2, 3].

Llorente was part of the Spain squad that won the 2026 FIFA World Cup in July, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final [1, 2, 3]. He made three appearances during the tournament, including coming on as a substitute in the semifinal victory over France [3].

He made his senior debut for Spain in November 2020 against the Netherlands [3]. Llorente began his club career at Real Madrid, spent a season on loan at Deportivo Alaves, and later joined Atletico Madrid in 2019, helping them win La Liga in the 2020-21 season [3].

Llorente announced his retirement decision via Instagram, describing it as personal and well thought out. He said, "I realise that I’m still young and that, perhaps, if I continued to perform well, I’d still have years left to play in this jersey. I know many of you won’t understand this, and I probably wouldn’t have understood it either if I were looking at it from the outside. But it’s a personal decision—one I’ve thought through very carefully and, above all, one that comes from the heart" [1].

He expressed gratitude toward his teammates, reflecting on the 52 days spent with the World Cup-winning squad as "special and memorable," adding, "I’ll cherish everything I’ve experienced, but above all, these last 52 days. With a wonderful group that fought until the very end to put Spain at the top. And that’s exactly what they did" [1].

Llorente said it had been a pride to represent Spain and thanked fans: "It has been a source of pride to represent my country and to be part of this story. Thank you for everything" [3].

His retirement marks the end of his international tenure despite being at an age where many players continue. Llorente revealed he decided to retire before the World Cup began, regardless of the team’s result or his playing time [1, 2, 3].