best passer, record for consecutive matches… Where is Antoine Griezmann among the legends of the France team?

The vice-captain of the Blues announced his international retirement on Monday after 137 matches and 44 goals in the Blues jersey.

He is the seventh 1998 world champion to officially retire internationally. At 33, Antoine Griezmann announced, Monday, September 30, his end of career in Blue, after winning the 2018 World Cup, the 2021 Nations League, and reaching the finals of Euro 2016 and the World Cup. 2022. A track record that places him among the legendary players of the France team.

Only eight caps fewer than Hugo Lloris

With 137 caps in Blue, Antoine Griezmann was only eight caps away from equaling the record holder, Hugo Lloris (145). An opportunity which makes his international retirement all the more surprising, as we know he is in love with the France team.

He made his first selection in March 2014, against the Netherlands. The Madrilenian will ultimately not overtake Olivier Giroud, who has exactly the same number, but is placed ahead of Thierry Henry, Marcel Desailly or even Zinédine Zidane.

A series of record matches

Beyond his longevity in Blue, his impressive number of selections with the France team is also due to his physical resistance. Spared by injuries and “favorite” of Didier Deschamps according to the players of the France team, he participated in all the Blues’ matches, without exception, between 2017 and 2024.

He finally saw his incredible series come to an end last March, due to a sprained ankle which deprived him of a friendly match against Germany (2-0 defeat).

Ahead of Michel Platini in number of goals

Even though he hadn’t scored with the Blues for a year, and he has only scored two goals since the end of the 2022 World Cup, Antoine Griezmann is among the top scorers for the France team , including six memorable achievements during Euro 2016.

These statistics allow him to be ahead of Michel Platini and Karim Benzema in the ranking of scorers for the Blues.

The best passer of the Blues

Even if he should be dethroned by Kylian Mbappé shortly, Antoine Griezmann retires internationally with the status of best passer in the history of the Blues, with 30 assists, including two in the 2018 World Cup final.

It was thanks to two other assists, in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup against England (2-1), that he overtook Thierry Henry in this area. He also surpasses Zinédine Zidane and Michel Platini.