Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann, born on 21 March 1991, is a highly regarded French professional footballer recognized for his versatility, match intelligence, attacking prowess, and off-ball attributes. He plays as a forward for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and is a key member of the France national team.


Griezmann commenced his senior club career with Real Sociedad, achieving success by winning the Segunda División in his debut season. In 2014, he made a notable move to Atlético Madrid for a then-club record fee of €30 million. During his time with Atlético Madrid, Griezmann clinched several major titles, including the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, Supercopa de España, and La Liga Best Player award. His outstanding performances led to nominations for the Ballon d'Or and Best FIFA Men's Player in 2016 and 2018.


In 2019, Griezmann made headlines with a record association football transfer to Barcelona, valued at €120 million, making him the fifth-most expensive player at that time. At Barcelona, he secured a Copa del Rey before making a return to Atlético Madrid in 2021, where he went on to become the club's all-time leading goalscorer.


On September 2, 2009, Griezmann made his competitive debut in the Copa del Rey match against Rayo Vallecano, coming on as a substitute in the 77th minute of a 2–0 defeat. Just four days later, he made his league debut as a substitute against Real Murcia. On September 27, he earned his first professional start and scored his inaugural professional goal against Huesca in a 2–0 victory.


Two weeks later, Griezmann scored his second goal of the campaign in a 2–0 win over Salamanca. In November 2009, he found the net in consecutive matches against Hércules and Recreativo de Huelva. His goal against the latter club was the only one in that match.Griezmann maintained a consistent presence in the team for the remainder of the season, scoring two more goals in victories over Cádiz and Numancia as Real Sociedad secured promotion to La Liga for the 2010–11 season as league winners.


On April 8, 2010, Griezmann signed his first professional contract, agreeing to a five-year deal with the club until 2015, featuring a release clause of €30 million. Before signing the contract, he attracted considerable interest from Ligue 1 clubs Lyon, Saint-Étienne, and Auxerre.


Despite developing with a Basque club, he was also potentially available to play for local rivals Athletic Bilbao, despite being born and growing up in non-Basque areas of France.
Griezmann made his La Liga debut on August 29, 2010, in the first match of the season. In a post-game interview, he described the occasion as fulfilling his childhood dream.
In the team's first match after the September international break, Griezmann assisted in the equalizing goal scored by Raúl Tamudo against Real Madrid. However, Madrid later won the match 2–1, courtesy of a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo.


On August 19, 2017, Griezmann received his first red card during a draw against Girona and faced a two-match ban. Initially cautioned for diving in the penalty box, his subsequent reaction, using foul language towards the referee, resulted in a second booking.[63] He was honored as the La Liga Player of the Month for February 2018 after tallying eight goals and two assists during the period, including seven goals in four days . His second goal in the 4–0 victory against Leganés marked his 100th goal for Atlético, making him only the third player of the 21st century to achieve this feat after Sergio Agüero and Fernando Torres.


Griezmann found the net in the first leg of the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League semi-final against Arsenal and assisted Diego Costa for the only goal in the return leg, contributing to Atlético's 2–1 aggregate victory and advancement to the final in Lyon against French side Marseille; he then scored twice in the final, leading his club to clinch the trophy for the third time in nine years.


Despite months of speculation linking him to Barcelona, intensified after Atlético reported Barcelona to FIFA over an alleged illegal approach for Griezmann in December 2017,[68] he signed a contract extension with Atlético on June 19, 2018, valid until 2023. This decision followed his rejection of a move to Barcelona just days prior. Griezmann conveyed a message to Atlético on social media, stating, "My fans, my team, MY HOME!!!" in Spanish, French, and English, accompanied by a video showcasing him wandering around Madrid.

2018–19: Final season of the first stint with Atlético

On August 15, Griezmann started in Atlético's 4–2 extra-time triumph over Real Madrid in the 2018 UEFA Super Cup in Tallinn. On Matchday 2 of the Champions League, Griezmann scored a goal in both halves, securing a 3–1 home win against Belgian champions Club Brugge. Later on Matchday 4, he scored Atletico's second goal against Borussia Dortmund, as Atlético Madrid avenged their previous 4–0 defeat against the same opponents with a 2–0 win at home at the Wanda Metropolitano. In the subsequent game, he once again scored the second goal in a 2–0 victory against Monaco, ensuring his team's qualification for the next round of the Champions League.


On December 15, Griezmann played his 300th league match in the Spanish top division, scoring twice and providing an assist as Atlético Madrid won 3–2 away against Real Valladolid. The following week, he scored his 200th career goal, converting from the spot in a 1–0 victory over Espanyol. On January 26, in a league fixture against Getafe at home, he scored his 10th league goal of the season in a 2–0 win, narrowing the gap between league leaders Barcelona to just 2 points

References

1.  "Antoine Griezmann". Atlético Madrid. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
2. ^ Joly, Olivier (16 June 2014). "Griezmann met l'accent là où il faut" [Griezmann puts the accent where it is necessary]. Le Journal du Dimanche (in French). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
3. ^ West, Andy (10 January 2024). "Is Antoine Griezmann one of the greatest players of his era?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
4. ^ "Acta del Partido celebrado el 11 de mayo de 2011, en San Sebastián" [Minutes of the Match held on 11 May 2011, in San Sebastián] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
5. a b "Antoine Griezmann". EU-Football.info. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
6. a b c d e Alvarenga, Vítor Hugo (28 September 2015). "A herança portuguesa de Griezmann, Antoine 'Lopes' Griezmann" [The Portuguese heritage of Griezmann, Antoine 'Lopes' Griezmann]. Maisfutebol (in Portuguese). Retrieved 5 July 2016.
7. ^ "Aux origines de Payet, Giroud et Griezmann". La revue française de Généalogie (in French). Retrieved 18 February 2018.
8. ^ Wallace, Sam (3 July 2014). "France v Germany World Cup 2014: Antoine Griezmann's rapid rise can outpace German rival". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022.
9. ^ "Ist der Vater von Antoine Griezmann Deutscher?". watson.de.
10. a b c d e "Griezmann: "Un rêve de porter le maillot bleu" (Griezmann: "It's a dream to wear the blue jersey")" (in French). French Football Federation. 25 June 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2010.