Spain's Álvaro Morata Admits Regret Over Atlético Madrid Exit

Álvaro Morata has admitted he already regrets leaving Atlético Madrid last summer, acknowledging that he "should have thought things through more" and, in hindsight, it's a decision he "wouldn't have made."

The Spanish striker departed Atlético for AC Milan in July 2024 after two spells with the club but moved on again in January, joining Galatasaray on loan following Paulo Fonseca's departure and Sérgio Conceição’s appointment as Milan’s head coach.

Morata, who captained Spain to victory at Euro 2024, has previously opened up about his struggles with mental health, revealing that he nearly quit the national team due to depression and panic attacks.

"In the summer, I should have reflected more," Morata told Cadena SER on Tuesday. "[I should have considered] whether leaving Atlético was the right choice. When certain aspects of your life aren’t going well, you make poor decisions—not just in football."

"You can't change the past; you have to move forward. Right now, I'm happy with my football, happy with the national team. If all goes well and [Galatasaray] win the league, we'll be in the Champions League next season. Turkey might not be the most competitive league, but the Champions League is the Champions League."

"Looking back, I definitely wouldn't have made that choice," Morata added. "I didn’t fully grasp the reality. We had just won the Euros, and at Atlético, more and more people supported me and understood me. But in life, you make decisions, and you have to live with them."

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Morata is part of Spain’s squad for this week’s UEFA Nations League quarterfinals against the Netherlands.

The 32-year-old striker has had an eventful club career, playing for Real Madrid, Juventus, and Chelsea before first joining Atlético Madrid in 2019. After a season and a half, he returned to Juventus in 2020 before rejoining Atlético in 2022.

During Spain’s Euro 2024 campaign, Morata hinted at staying with Atlético, but he later had a change of heart and moved to Milan.

"When you're going through a difficult moment, everything looks dark, and you don’t see things clearly," Morata told Cadena SER. "Even when people close to you tell you you’re wrong, things happen fast, and you have to make decisions. The uncertainty over my future weighed on me during the Euros, and then the opportunity at Milan came up. You want to feel wanted and valued. But looking back, [coach] Cholo [Simeone] valued and wanted me too."

Spain will face the Netherlands in Rotterdam on Thursday before the return leg in Valencia on Sunday.