2018 World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann has reacted after his legendary record on Tuesday night as Atletico Madrid’s all-time top scorer.
Despite his side’s 3-3 draw with Getafe on matchday 18 of La Liga, Antoine Griezmann became Atletico’s joint all-time top scorer. Having scored twice the day before, the French playmaker now has 173 goals to his name, equalling the record previously held by another Madrid legend, Luis Aragonés. It is a welcome sign of redemption for the Tricolore, whose popularity plummeted when he moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2019. Back in the Spanish capital two years later, the Mâcon native has gradually recovered his status as the darling of the Civitas Metropolitano.
Antoine Griezmann is certainly pleased with this record, but he would have preferred to celebrate it with a victory, as he humbly said after the match. “It’s a special evening. On a personal level, I feel a lot of emotion, joy and pride. But it’s a shame we weren’t able to win. But personally, I’m happy to have contributed to the team and to have equalled Luis Aragonés… Atléti are his phrases, his philosophy, his work, everything… It’s a joy to join him, but I still have a lot to do. I’ll never be able to match him, because I don’t think I’ll become a legend like him,” he told the press, as reported by As.
Spain goes wild for Grizou
In Spain, Griezmann continues to light up La Liga. With another brace, this time against Getafe, the Frenchman has become the Colchoneros’ joint all-time top scorer with 173 goals, alongside Luis Aragonés. For AS newspaper, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has everything it takes to become an “eternal” player, a legend. It has been a long and difficult road for the Frenchman, however, and he has managed to become the darling of the Madrid fans once again after alienating them by leaving for Barça. A kind of “redemption” for the newspaper Marca. “The little prince”, as the media outlet Sport calls him, can thank his friend Diego Simeone, who has put his trust in him all these years. “Griezmann is an extraordinary player,” said El Cholo after last night’s match. For Atletico’s Spanish pro journalist David Vinuesa Malbac, Antoine Griezmann is “currently the best player in the world”.
Griezmann born to play for Atletico Madrid
Booed and disowned by some Atleti fans after his transfer to Barça, ‘Grizou’ has completely turned things around thanks to his hyperactivity on the pitch, his assists and above all his goals – surely the best way to redeem himself in their eyes.
Today, only the name of the ‘Cholo’ Diego Simeone is more applauded than his own before every game at the Metropolitano, where Atlético are unbeaten since January 2023.
“He’s having a fantastic season and is excellent in any position. He’s the best player in Europe,” said his chairman, Enrique Cerezo.
Voted best player in La Liga in 2022/23 by AS newspaper, the French international (127 caps, 44 goals) is the most decisive player for a Spanish club in 2023, with 26 goals and 18 assists.
Yet it would have been hard to imagine such a return to form just over a year ago, when the loan agreement between Barça and Atlético allowed him to play just 30 minutes a game, before Atlético finally lifted his option to buy.
“Even if not everyone agreed with his return, I was convinced that he was born to play for Atlético Madrid,” said his coach Diego Simeone after his man-of-the-match gave another 6-0 performance against Glasgow Celtic in the Champions League.
“When someone comes back, apologises and shows his commitment again, not only do the fans forgive him, they love him [again],” said the Madrid club’s director general, Miguel Angel Gil Marín, in a conversation with Simeone published by Atlético on the occasion of the Argentinian coach’s contract extension.
A key figure in the Colchoneros’ Europa League success in 2018 (beating OM 3-0), and an unfortunate finalist in the Champions League in 2016 (beating Real on penalties), the Maconnais native is now aiming for a first Spanish league title.
“A title for Atlético? That would be a dream… I’m motivated to become someone important at Atlético, a legend of the club. But I know I have to earn it. I want to win La Liga, I need to do that (to become a legend),” he summed up in an interview with Marca.
Perhaps one last feat before setting off to live his American dream, the undisputed NBA and NFL fan and great admirer of David Beckham, now owner of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
“I’ve always said that. My aim is to finish there. [But first I want to make history here and win trophies at Atlético. After that, we’ll see,” he told ESPN at the start of the season.
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