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Antoine Griezmann Retires from International Football After 10-Year Career

Sports

September 30, 2024

France’s 2018 World Cup-winning star Antoine Griezmann announced his retirement from international football on Monday, bringing an end to a 10-year career with the national team. “It is with a heart full of memories that I am closing this chapter of my life,” France vice-captain Griezmann, 33, wrote on X.

The Atletico Madrid forward made his France debut in March 2014 and earned 137 caps, a figure only surpassed by his former teammate Hugo Lloris (145) and 1998 World Cup winner Lilian Thuram (142). Griezmann is also fourth on France’s all-time leading goal-scorers list with 44 goals, trailing record marksman Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry, and current captain Kylian Mbappe.

He scored during France’s 4-2 win over Croatia in the final of the 2018 World Cup in Moscow and previously helped his country reach the final of Euro 2016, where he was the top scorer with six goals. Griezmann played a key role in Les Bleus’ run to the 2022 World Cup final, which they lost on penalties to Argentina in Qatar.

His last major tournament was Euro 2024, which did not go as well, as neither he nor his team found their best form despite reaching the semi-finals. Griezmann’s final appearance for France came in a UEFA Nations League victory at home against Belgium earlier this month.

His retirement signals the end of an era for the French national team, as Lloris and center-back Raphael Varane both retired from international duty following the 2022 World Cup, with Varane announcing his complete retirement from football last week at just 31 years old. Giroud also stopped playing for his country after this year’s Euros in Germany.

Coach Didier Deschamps is set to name his next France squad this Thursday ahead of Nations League matches against Israel in Budapest on October 10 and Belgium in Brussels four days later.