Llorente responds for the first time to photos with Torres: "There is nothing more masculine"

Close-up photos of Ferran Torres and Marcos Llorente have caused a great stir on social media over the past week. The Barcelona player, scorer of the winning goal for the Spanish national team in the World Cup final, and his friend from Atletico Madrid were documented in intimate moments on a yacht during a vacation in Ibiza.

In the photos, the two were seen kissing affectionately and enjoying the sun while shirtless on their private yacht. The images went viral, were displayed on the covers of gossip columns, and caused some fans to speculate that the two are in a romantic relationship.

Llorente was the first to respond to the issue. The midfielder took advantage of a visit to Barcelona to answer his followers' questions:

"It surprises me that in 2026, two men showing affection for each other still spark a debate. But then I look at how things look today, and I understand. There is nothing more masculine than a man who is confident in himself and is not afraid to show affection to his friend."

A few hours later, Torres shared Llorente's words in full on an Instagram story, without adding a single word. This gesture made it clear that he identifies completely with the sentiment and put an end to the speculations. With this, the Barcelona striker emphasized the nature of their relationship and his desire to lower the flames around a storm that, in their opinion, should not have arisen at all.

In that same Q&A session, Llorente also addressed the meaning of happiness for him, just hours after his wife, Paddy Noarbe, posted messages on social media dealing with freedom, love, and relationships.

"Being happy is not about being joyful all the time," he said. "It is about waking up every day with peace, love, and purpose, and feeling that you are living in accordance with your values."