FUN LANE Marcos Llorente has announced his retirement from the Spanish national team at age 31. International football can add prestige to a player's career but also increases travel, workload and injury exposure. Elite players now face increasingly crowded club and international calendars. Fans often see national-team duty as an honour, while players must manage comparatively short professional careers. Llorente's decision therefore revives a debate that extends far beyond one player.