Antoine Griezmann: France legend announces retirement from international football

France midfielder Antoine Griezmann announced the extremity of his planetary vocation connected Monday aft proving manager Didier Deschamps's astir important subordinate for a decade, during which helium won a World Cup title.

The 33-year-old, who struggled astatine this year's Euros, was 1 of the cardinal elements successful the 2018 and 2022 World Cup campaigns arsenic Les Bleus took the rubric successful Russia and finished runners-up successful Qatar.

"Today, it is with heavy emotion that I'm announcing my status arsenic a subordinate of the France team," the Atletico Madrid subordinate said connected societal media.

"After 10 unthinkable years marked by challenges, successes and unforgettable moments, it is clip for maine to crook a leafage and marque mode for the caller generation.

"Wearing this jersey was an honour and a privilege."

'Grizou', a favourite among his teammates and fans, was besides the apical scorer astatine Euro 2016 erstwhile France reached the final, lone to beryllium beaten by Portugal aft other clip astatine the Stade de France.

Griezmann won 137 caps for France, scoring 44 goals, and imposed himself arsenic a versatile subordinate successful Deschamps's midfield and adjacent if the captain's armband went to Kylian Mbappe aft Hugo Lloris's planetary retirement, helium was ever a dependable everyone listened to.

He played a French grounds of 84 consecutive matches with Les Bleus, a fig that underlines his presumption arsenic the nationalist team's astir invaluable subordinate successful the past 10 years. "We've had a agelong treatment astir (his retirement) recently. Since his debut successful the France squad 10 years agone we've had a narration based connected spot and frankness," Deschamps said successful a statement.

"Even if his nine vocation is not over, Antoine volition stay a monument of French football, 1 of the top subordinate successful its history.

"It was often said that helium was my favourite. We so had built a precise beardown relationship, that volition stay intact. From the bottommost of my heart, convey you for everything, Grizou."

A antheral who was ever thankful for a sometimes thankless role, Griezmann is the 2nd apical subordinate to discontinue from planetary shot aft Olivier Giroud, the team's all-time apical scorer, hung up his France boots aft the 2-1 decision by Spain successful this year's Euro semi-finals. Griezmann, who besides helped France triumph the 2021 Nations League, is the team's 4th all-time extremity scorer.

He has made much than 500 appearances successful LaLiga with Real Sociedad, Atletico and Barcelona.

This season, helium has scored 3 goals successful 9 games successful each competitions for Atletico.

Additional reporting from Reuters