Llorente said in a message he posted on Instagram, accompanied by a picture of him kissing the World Cup: “After much thought, I have decided to end my career with the national team.”
The Atletico defender added: “I realize that I am still young, and that perhaps if I continued to perform well, I would have had a few more years to wear this shirt.”
The right-back, who began his international career on November 11, 2020, in a friendly match against the Netherlands, during which he played 18 minutes and played 27 matches with “La Roja” without scoring a goal, added: “I know that many of you will not understand this decision, and perhaps I myself would not understand it if I were in your place, but it is a personal decision, made after deep thought, and most importantly, it is a decision that really concerns me.”
Llorente did not participate in the final match of the World Cup held in North America, but he played a few minutes in the semi-final during the victory over the French team (2-0).
“Whether I participate in the World Cup or not, whether we win or lose, this decision has already been made,” Llorente reiterated.
He added: “I keep in my memory everything I experienced, especially the past 52 days, with a wonderful group of players who fought until the end to lead Spain to the highest levels. And this is what we did. I was very proud to represent my country and to be part of this story.”
Llorente began his career at Real Madrid before moving to their city rival, Atletico, in 2019.
In addition to the World Cup, his record also includes winning the Champions League twice, the Club World Cup in 2017 and 2018 with the Royal Club, and the Spanish League title with “Rojiblancos” in the 2020-2021 season.
