FRANCK FIFE / AFP
Antoine Griezmann and Didier Deschamps, here in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines on March 21, 2023.
FOOTBALL – It’s a clap of thunder in the tricolor sky. Antoine Griezmann announced this Monday, September 30, his international retirement at the age of 33, while he still assured in September that he wanted to continue with the French team. The Atlético Madrid player (137 caps, 44 goals) will not break the cap record. He hangs up the blue tunic in third place behind Hugo Lloris (145) and Lilian Thuram (142), tied with Olivier Giroud who retired internationally this summer.
Didier Deschamps quickly reacted to “Grizou’s” decision. In a message sent by the management of the Blues, the coach “takes note” with “a lot of emotion” of the choice of Antoine Griezmann.
“At the end of a long and careful reflection, Antoine has decided to put an end to his magnificent international career. We had a long discussion about this recently”adds “DD”, speaking of « courage »of the “lucidity” and the“honesty” of his player.
Didier Deschamps calls Griezmann “monument of French football, one of the greatest players in its history” and greet “a rare altruism among offensive players”.
“It has often been said that Antoine was my favorite”
“It has often been said that Antoine is my favorite. We had indeed established a very strong relationship, which will remain intact. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything, my “Grizou””concludes the coach, who must announce this Thursday his list for the Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium.
The midfielder explained that he wanted “turn a page and make way for the new generation” in a montage of just under two minutes showing his great moments in the selection: the victory in the World Cup in Russia, his celebrations at Euro-2016, where he scored 6 goals and lost in the final, or his tears of the quarter-final of the 2014 World Cup lost against Germany, but also moments of locker room complicity.
In his message, Antoine Griezmann also thanked Didier Deschamps. “Your trust and support throughout my international career have been essential to my development as an athlete”he said.
The vice-captain remained on a failed Euro-2024 on a personal level, twice on the bench during the competition, notably during the semi-final lost against Spain (2-1). But the Atlético Madrid player assured in the show Téléfoot in September that he didn’t want to stop.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.fr
