Antoine Griezmann’s Unexpected Departure from International Football
The recent announcement of Antoine Griezmann’s (33) retirement from international football has taken many by surprise. Since his declaration last week, numerous inquiries have arisen regarding his motivations for stepping away from the national team. Observers often trace this unexpected choice to events that unfolded at the beginning of 2023.
The Captaincy Controversy
In early 2023, Didier Deschamps faced a significant dilemma: finding a successor for Hugo Lloris as the captain of Les Bleus. Lloris, a former player for Tottenham Hotspur and France’s all-time record cap holder, opted to hang up his boots on the international stage. This left both Griezmann and rising star Kylian Mbappé vying for leadership roles. Ultimately, it was Mbappé who was chosen to lead the team, which may have contributed to Griezmann feeling overlooked.
The Role of Underappreciation
Feeling “underappreciated” within the context of international play has been an enduring issue for Griezmann. This sentiment resurfaced back in 2019 when he pondered retirement due to perceived undervaluation at the national level—a concern that prompted Deschamps to make a personal visit in order to convince him otherwise.
Insights from Olivier Giroud
Olivier Giroud, a former teammate of Griezmann’s, shared insights regarding how this decision impacted his colleague emotionally. In an interview with Téléfoot, Giroud stated that receiving the captaincy snub had repercussions on Griezmann: “He admitted it affected him; he’s been candid about it,” noted Giroud. Such feelings are natural in this high-stakes environment where leadership plays such a crucial role.
Didier Deschamps’ Perspective
Despite acknowledging that Griezmann might have felt let down by not being named captain—a sentiment echoed during discussions at that time—Deschamps is reluctant to attribute Graizemann’s retirement solely to this incident. He pointed out that considerable time has passed since Mbappé took over as captain and emphasized other contributing factors might be at play behind Griezmann’s decision.
As football continues evolving with fresh talent emerging and dynamics shifting among teams nationally and globally, fans will inevitably reminisce about what contributions players like Antoine Griezmann brought to their respective sides over their illustrious careers.