French international football star Antoine Griezmann announces his retirement from the national team, ending his decade-long career with Les Bleus. The 33-year-old forward was a crucial player in France's journey to three major tournament finals and leaves a legacy of 137 games and 44 goals for his country. Griezmann's decision comes after France's disappointing defeat in the Euro 2024 semi-finals, and his retirement is met with an outpouring of gratitude and admiration from fans and teammates alike.
Antoine Griezmann Announces Retirement from French National Team
Paris, France - French international football star Antoine Griezmann has shocked the world by announcing his retirement from the national team at the age of 33. The forward's decision concludes a decade-long career with Les Bleus, during which he played a pivotal role in the team's success.
Background
Antoine Griezmann debuted for France in 2014 and quickly established himself as a key player. He was an integral member of the Les Bleus squad that reached the Euro 2016 final and the 2018 FIFA World Cup final, where they lifted the trophy. Griezmann also played a significant role in France's third-place finish at the Euro 2020 tournament.
Retirement Announcement
Griezmann announced his retirement in a statement on social media. The statement read, "It's time for me to step aside and let the next generation take over. I have given everything I have for the French national team, and I am grateful for the memories I have made."
Reaction
Griezmann's retirement has been met with an outpouring of gratitude and admiration from fans and teammates. French President Emmanuel Macron thanked Griezmann for his service to the nation, while teammate Kylian Mbappé called him "an inspiration to all of us."
Top 5 FAQs and Answers
1. Why did Griezmann retire?
Griezmann cited his age and his desire to focus on his club career as reasons for his retirement.
2. What does Griezmann's retirement mean for France?
Griezmann was a vital part of France's success in recent years, and his retirement leaves a significant hole in the team.
3. Who will replace Griezmann in the national team?
The French Football Federation has not yet announced a replacement for Griezmann.
4. Will Griezmann continue to play for his club?
Yes, Griezmann is under contract with FC Barcelona until 2024.
5. What is Griezmann's legacy?
Griezmann leaves behind a remarkable legacy with the French national team. He is France's fourth-highest goalscorer with 44 goals in 137 appearances. He also won the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Nations League during his time with Les Bleus.
Brazilian striker Joao Pedro proved his worth as he scored two crucial goals to lead Chelsea to victory in the Club World Cup semi-final match against Fluminense. Despite his ties to the opposing team, Pedro showed his class and skill as Chelsea secured a spot in the final against either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain. With his impressive performance, Pedro's £55 million price tag seems like a bargain for Chelsea. The win also earned the team an additional £22 million, adding to the £60 million they had already secured for participating in the tournament.
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz secured his spot in the Wimbledon semi-finals for the third year in a row after defeating Britain's Cameron Norrie in a dominant performance on Tuesday. Alcaraz will now face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals, with a potential shot at winning his fourth consecutive title this season. Despite facing a tough opponent, Alcaraz is confident in his game and plans to rest and relax with his team and family before the big match.
The city of Jessheim, Norway will host the 2025 Paralympic Winter Games Qualification Tournament from 5-10 November 2025. The six-team round-robin tournament, hosted by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association, will determine the top two teams that will earn qualification spots for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. With strong competitors such as Slovakia, Norway, Korea, and three teams from the B-Pool World Championships vying for spots, the tournament is shaping up to be an exciting and intense event.
Marble Sands, trained by Fergal O'Brien, beat out odds-on favorite Rare Edition in the Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle. Despite his previous loss in the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle, Marble Sands is now being considered for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham after his impressive performance. Harry Cobden also had a successful day, winning the 2m novice handicap hurdle with Artistic Choice and the 2m3½f handicap hurdle with Sonigino for trainer Paul Nicholls.
On his birthday, let's take a look at what made Sourav Ganguly one of the most influential and transformational captains in Indian cricket history. Ganguly's bold leadership, fearless attitude, and eye for young talent have left a lasting impact on the team. He taught them to believe, to fight, and to never be afraid of defeat. Without his contributions, the careers of Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, and MS Dhoni may have turned out very differently. Ganguly's legacy has forever changed the culture of Indian cricket, breaking down barriers of hierarchy and bringing a new level of confidence and aggression to the team.
South African cricketer Wiaan Mulder's unbeaten knock of 367 not out has put him in an elite club of players who have scored 350 or more in a Test match. He is also only the third batsman in Test history to hit 100+ runs in two different sessions of the same innings. With this, he has also broken records for the highest individual South African score in Tests and the highest Test score in Zimbabwe.
On his 44th birthday, MS Dhoni, affectionately known as 'Mahi' by fans, received a flood of well-wishes from fans and former teammates. Among those sending their regards was cricketer Deepak Chahar, who shared a special bond with Dhoni both on and off the field. As one of India's most successful cricket captains, Dhoni has amassed impressive records in all formats, including leading the Indian team to the top of the ICC Test rankings and securing five IPL titles with the Chennai Super Kings.
After a lot of debate and speculation about whether Akash Deep's delivery that clean bowled Joe Root in the recent England-India Test match was a no ball or not, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has officially stated that it was indeed a legal delivery. Despite some confusion regarding the positioning of Deep's back foot, the MCC has clarified that the first point of contact of the foot with the ground is what determines a no ball, not subsequent positioning. The dismissal was a crucial breakthrough for India, helping them to seal a convincing series-levelling win against England.
Akash Deep led the charge for India against England in the second Test at Edgbaston, becoming the first visiting fast bowler to pick a five-wicket haul in the fourth innings at the venue. He finished the match with an impressive 10 wickets and also reached a unique milestone of being the first bowler in 49 years to dismiss four of England's top five batters in an innings on his own. Shubman Gill also played a crucial role in India's victory, earning the player of the match award for his 430 runs throughout the Test. This historic win brings the series level at 1-1 and cements India's dominance in the longest format of the game.
South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder created history on the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe by becoming the fifth-highest individual scorer in cricket history with an unbeaten 367*. Mulder, who also holds the record for the highest individual score by a Proteas batter in Test cricket, came dangerously close to surpassing Brian Lara's legendary 400*, but decided to declare the innings at 626/5. Despite missing out on breaking Lara's record, Mulder's scorching strike rate of 109.88 is the best among all triple-centurions in Test cricket.