EXCL: Emmanuel Petit on Antoine Griezmann’s France retirement – ‘The captaincy issue killed him’

This interview was conducted exclusively by Football España in partnership with Genting Casino.

Last international break something occurred that had not happened in 10 years – a fit Antoine Griezmann was not on international duty with France. The Atletico Madrid icon turned up for Les Bleus whenever called upon, but just weeks after saying he would continue with the national team, Griezmann called it a day. Just 8 caps short of setting the record for France appearances, Emmanuel Petit has an idea of both why he retired and why it occurred now.

Griezmann was an essential part of France’s 2018 World Cup win, and in their runs to the 2016 Euros and 2022 World Cup finals, earning 137 caps and scoring 44 times. He also gave 38 assists, becoming a fixture early on in the Didier Deschamps era.

For many, it came as a surpise that Griezmann, who remains at an impressive level, decided not to join up with Les Bleus in October, but Petit explained the central issue in his eyes.

“I totally agree [that Griezmann is underrated on the global stage], I think he’s one of the best footballers in French history, in terms of assists, goals, regularity, caps, what he brought to the national team for years. I think we have to talk about Mbappe again…”

“For me, the captaincy issue has killed Griezmann in the national team. He was supposed to get the armband two years ago, and Deschamps decided to give it to Kylian Mbappe. It was a huge, huge blow for Griezmann, he received a huge kick in the head after this. You have to take into account that Paul Pogba is not in the team anymore too. Pogba and Griezmann were like this [crosses fingers], they loved each other. Out on the pitch as well.”

“I saw yesterday again, the commentary on the pitch, and they were so close to each other, as human beings. They played together very well on the pitch. The fact that Pogba was not there, and the captaincy thing, you could see that he was not at the same level in Didier Deschamps mind.”

Griezmann was a strong candidate for player of the tournament in Qatar, excepting Lionel Messi, playing a deeper midfield role, and pulling the strings for France. Yet just 18 months later, and despite maintaining his form for Atletico, he was left out for their Euro 2024 semi-final against Spain.

“For years, Deschamps, every time he was putting together the XI, it was always Mbappe and Griezmann first. But the last two years, 16 months, it was only Mbappe. Griezmann was being a number 10 sometimes, a right winger, a holding midfielder, he was always changing positions. We saw that. He was even on the bench sometimes,” notes Petit.

“Griezmann is the kind of player… He needs love. He needs confidence from the manager, he needs strong links, with the coach too. He had that for years. Not anymore, for the last two years, he was upset about a few things. He didn’t get the same love, so I think he made the right decision.”

Petit earned 63 caps for France himself, appearing for the final time in 2003, just over a year before his retirement from football due to injury issues. Griezmann is going out on his own terms though, and the ex-Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder felt he was doing the right thing.

“It was a surprise for many people, because straight after the Euros a journalist asked him if he was going to continue with the national team. He said ‘no, no, no, I love the national team, I’m going to continue.’ And three weeks later, he said ‘No, I don’t want to play anymore, I’m retiring from the national team’. So something happened. For me, it’s the result of everything that happened the last 16 months, and he probably he said with his family, his wife, his close mates, ‘Listen, you’re not on the same line as the national team anymore’.”

“So you are 33 years old, you don’t have the energy to play every three days anymore, so just concentrate on your club, and forget the national team. You have given everything to the national team, thank you for everything, and we are so proud of that. Honestly, he scored a goal last week again, and when you look at the joy, with the fans and his teammates, it’s something completely different compared to the national team for the last two years. So yes I think he made the right decision.”

No doubt Atletico will be somewhat pleased that they will now have a rested Griezmann during international breaks, with Diego Simeone still giving him plenty of love but also the central role in the side. However it is hard to escape a certain somberness to the end of Griezmann’s France career. For so long the face of the French national team before and then alongside Kylian Mbappe, while the football deities do not deal justice, nobody good have begrudged Griezmann a glorious ending.