Debut
Antoine Griezmann made his debut for France’s senior team on the 5th of March 2014. He started the game and was subbed off after 68 minutes. On the 1st of June, he scored his first goal for France in an International Friendly against Paraguay. In his next game, he scored two goals in just 19 minutes. This was also around the time he had his breakthrough season for Real Sociedad, securing him a big move to Atlético de Madrid. His great development and form were enough to convince Didier Deschamps to call him up for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
2014 World Cup
France was in a tough situation, having not made it out of the group stage in the last World Cup and lacking a spark in the team since Zinedine Zidane retired in 2006. A young Antoine Griezmann had the potential to become the new fan favourite, but he still went under the radar in this tournament, as he failed to score or assist and France crashed out of the World Cup in the quarterfinals.
2016 Euro
Antoine Griezmann had a stellar 2015/16 season, making the Champions League final with Atlético de Madrid and scoring 31 goals across all competitions. His exceptional season at club level saw him get called up for the 2016 Euros. France had high hopes for the tournament, as they were the hosts. Antoine Griezmann established himself as the new star and leader of the French national team, by scoring six goals (five in the knockout stages) and providing two assists. His crowning moment was when he scored a brace against Germany to take France to the desired final on home soil. Sadly, they couldn’t go all the way, as they lost Portugal in extra time. Even though they experienced a heartbreaking loss, Griezmann had now set up France as one of the favourites for the 2018 World Cup.
2018 World Cup
Coming into the World Cup, France were one of the favourites to take the trophy home with a rising star in Kylian Mbappé, a midfield maestro in Paul Pogba, a defensive rock in Raphaël Varane. But Antoine Griezmann still stood out in front of these players as the team’s main star. To say Antoine Griezmann lived up to the expectations would be an understatement. He scored four goals and provided two assists in the whole tournament, stacking up at least a goal contribution in every knockout game. In the final he was directly involved in all four goals, scoring one himself and being named the man of the match. He had finally brought the ultimate glory to his country, solidifying himself as one of France’s greatest ever players. He was controversially only voted the third-best player of the tournament, despite being the most decisive player and stepping up in the biggest moments.
2020 Euro
The 2020 Euros were underwhelming for France, as it saw them fall to Switzerland in the round of sixteen. Griezmann scored a goal in the group stage, but it was clear that he wasn’t the star player anymore and had to accept a secondary role in the team’s best interest.
2021 Nations League
After the disappointment of the Euros, France managed to bounce back in spectacular fashion, winning the country’s first ever Nations League against Spain in the final. This was Antoine Griezmann’s second title for France, and it brought him a relief, as he was going through a tough period at club level.
2022 World Cup
In the 2022 World Cup, Antoine Griezmann shined once again, by reinventing his style pf play and playing in the midfield. He was the engine of the team, winning the ball back and starting attacks in a more defensive and central position than he is normally used to. Unfortunately, France was defeated in the final, but nevertheless, making back-to-back World Cup finals is a great accomplishment in its own right.
2024 Euro
The 2024 Euros was Antoine Griezmann’s last major tournament for the national team. The tournament, which saw him get relegated to coming off the bench for the first time in years. It became clear to Griezmann that it was time to step down and make way for the next generation.
Retirement
Antoine Griezmann’s last match for France was a Nations League game in which he came off the bench and played 11 minutes. He then decided to retire but not before having transformed the French national team into a respected institution again during such a delicate period of time and established a new legacy for the future generations of French footballers.
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