Simeone's arrival at Atlético changed the history of the club and also the career of a large part of the squad that was put in his hands. With the passing of the seasons, the rojiblanco team has established itself in the Olympus of football and its players have multiplied its value. This has also meant that the national teams have notably increased the citation of Atlético players. Good proof is that 14 of the squad members are focused on their national teams (Carrasco and Vrsaljko cannot do it due to injury).
Thus, with the Llorente's debut with the national team against the Netherlands on Wednesday, there are already 14 footballers who have taken their first step as an international under Simeone at Atlético. In addition to the Madrilenian, who has been uncovered up front, eight other players donned the Spanish shirt as rojiblancos players. Since Juanfran, Adrián and Domínguez debuted on May 26, 2012 against Serbia, would arrive Mario Suarez (February of 2013), Koke (August 2013), Diego Costa (March 2014, a year after his debut for Brazil, with which he played two friendly matches), Saúl and Raúl García (both in September 2016). While it is true that only Koke (45 games), Diego Costa (24 games and 10 goals), Juanfran (22 games and one goal) and Saúl (19 and three goals) had continuity and surpassed ten games. Notably Gabi, the team's driving force in the most successful stage, was never quoted.
But the debut of the Atlético players with their national teams has not been limited only to Spain. Giménez took his first steps with Uruguay as soon as he signed for Atlético, in September 2013. belt the Argentina jersey would be worn for the first time in September 2015. In the case of Thomas, debuted with Ghana was in June 2016, Lucas Hernandez He did it with France in March 2018 months before traveling to Russia to win the World Cup as the starting left-back and I gave it he put on the Brazil jersey in October last year.
It must be borne in mind that most of the players who sign for Atlético are already international with their countries, in the case of the four new this year (Suárez and Torreira with Uruguay, Kondogbia with the Central African Republic and Grbic with Croatia). Of course, despite the fact that many of the incorporations had already played with their national team, with their arrival at Atleti they revolutionized their international role, in the case of the Griezmann, Oblak, Carrasco, Courtois, Felipe, Filipe Luis, Miranda, Rodrigo or now João Félix.