Antoine Griezmann quits international soccer at 33

PARIS (Agencies): France’s 2018 World Cup-winning star Antoine Griezmann on Monday announced his retirement from international football, bringing to an end a 10-year career with his country. “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 has gone on to win 137 caps, a figure beaten only by his former teammate Hugo Lloris (145) and 1998 World Cup winner Lilian Thuram (142). Griezmann is also fourth in France’s list of all-time leading goal-scorers with 44, behind only record marksman Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry and current captain Kylian Mbappe. He scored in France’s 4-2 win over Croatia in the final of the 2018 World Cup in Moscow, having previously helped his country reach the final of Euro 2016, a tournament he ended as top scorer with six goals.

Griezmann was also outstanding for Les Bleus on their run to the 2022 World Cup final, which they lost on penalties to Argentina in Qatar. His last major tournament will be remembered less fondly, as neither he nor his team found their best form at Euro 2024 despite making it to the semi-finals. Griezmann’s last appearance for France came in a UEFA Nations League win at home to Belgium earlier this month. The striker’s decision to quit is further confirmation that an era has come to an end for the French side. Lloris and centre-back Raphael Varane both retired from international duty in the wake of the 2022 World Cup, with the latter quitting football entirely last week at the age of just 31. Giroud stopped playing for his country in the wake of this year’s Euros in Germany. Coach Didier Deschamps will 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.