Striker Antoine Griezmann said he felt annoyed at not being able to compete with his junior Kylian Mbappe for the captaincy of the French team.
After goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and centre-back Raphael Varane retired from international football, coach Didier Deschamps was torn between captains. In the absence of Lloris and Varane, Griezmann wore the captain's armband, as in the defeat to Denmark on September 26, 2022, in the Nations League. But in March 2023, coach Deschamps announced that he had chosen Mbappe as captain. The media said that Griezmann was upset and might quit the team.
Griezmann (right) and Mbappe celebrate a goal during France's 3-1 win over Poland in the World Cup round of 16 on December 4, 2022 at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Photo: Marca
"It was difficult for me to accept this decision," Griezmann told Telefoot . "I'm 32 years old and I'm nearing the end of my career, but I'm still able to run. It made me feel sick to my stomach for a few days. But now I'm fine, and I fully support my captain Mbappe."
Mbappe has captained France in all three games this year, and the 25-year-old will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. He could be considered the official captain of France after Lloris from 2008-2022.
French media also said that Mbappe was jealous of Griezmann's influence in the 2021 national team. At that time, Griezmann was the core of the team's play, and most of the balls went through his feet. At the 2022 World Cup, the Atletico Madrid striker continued to play a key role in the team, but Mbappe shone brighter with the Golden Boot award.
Griezmann has found his form at Atletico Madrid after a less-than-expected 2019-2022 spell at Barca. Last season, he scored 15 goals and provided 16 assists in La Liga, helping the team finish third in the league. Griezmann said he would not leave Atletico for PSG in the summer of 2023, despite interest from the French club.
Hoang An
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