29 Facts About Fernando Llorente

Fernando Javier Llorente Torres, nicknamed El Rey Leon, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Fernando Llorente started his career with Athletic Bilbao, working his way through the various youth ranks and, after making his first team debut in 2005, becoming one of the most important offensive players for the club in the following decade.

Fernando Llorente signed with Juventus in 2013, and won the Serie A title twice during his two-year spell there.

Fernando Llorente joined Athletic Bilbao's youth system in 1996 at the age of 11, being eligible through his Navarrese roots.

Fernando Llorente went on to feature in all but five of the nineteen remaining league games, scoring three goals, and played in four domestic cup matches and the UEFA Cup round of 32 tie against Austria Wien.

Fernando Llorente ended the season with just four goals, two in the league and as many in the Cup, both against Hospitalet.

Fernando Llorente started the season as arguably the club's fourth-choice striker, behind Aritz Aduriz, Joseba Etxeberria and veteran Ismael Urzaiz.

Fernando Llorente's form led to him becoming Athletic's first-choice forward, and although he started the campaign poorly, he ended it with a total of 11 league goals as the side finished in mid-table.

Fernando Llorente's tally included four goals in two games against Valencia, both impressive wins, and further strikes against Barcelona, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.

Fernando Llorente led all scorers in the Europa League for a long period with eight goals, and added fourteen in the league as Athletic eventually finished in eighth place.

Fernando Llorente's form continued in the next ten league fixtures as he found the net seven times, eventually finishing the season with 18 goals as Athletic qualified for the Europa League.

On 3 January 2013, Athletic confirmed that Fernando Llorente would be holding talks with Juventus.

Fernando Llorente scored just five goals in 36 competitive matches in his final year, playing mainly as a back-up for Aduriz.

Fernando Llorente officially became a Juventus player on 1 July 2013 after passing a medical at the club.

Fernando Llorente came off the bench during extra time in the Copa del Rey Final four days later, which they lost to Barcelona.

On 4 August 2016, it was announced that Fernando Llorente had signed a two-year deal with Swansea City.

Fernando Llorente scored twice two matches later, again at the Liberty Stadium, against Sunderland.

Fernando Llorente finished his first season with 15 goals, as the team avoided relegation.

Fernando Llorente's name was included in their 'released players' list submitted to the Premier League on 7 June 2019, and his profile was later removed from the first team squad list on the website for the upcoming season.

On 2 September 2019, Fernando Llorente joined Napoli on a free transfer, returning to Italy four years after leaving Juventus.

Fernando Llorente continued to be used in the 'super-sub' role, as was previously the case at Tottenham; although he was rarely started, he was often brought on in the second half of matches, to cause problems for tiring opposition defences with his physical presence.

On 27 January 2021, Fernando Llorente signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Udinese.

On 27 October 2021, after three months without a club, the 36-year-old Fernando Llorente joined Eibar on a one-year deal.

Fernando Llorente officially announced his retirement from professional football on 16 February 2023.

Fernando Llorente represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, his five goals winning him the silver boot as the competition's second highest scorer.

Fernando Llorente was selected for the final stages in Poland and Ukraine, and was an unused squad member as Spain won another tournament.

Fernando Llorente was one of seven players dropped from the final squad for the 2014 World Cup.

Fernando Llorente represented the unofficial Basque Country team five times, making his debut against Cameroon in 2005 and scoring st Catalonia at the Camp Nou the following year.

Fernando Llorente was known for his offensive movement, positional sense, and goalscoring ability inside the penalty area.