Antoine Griezmann’s international future in doubt after captaincy snub

Antoine Griezmann could be ready to quit the national team after being passed over for the captaincy of the French national team in favour of Kylian Mbappe. 

After France lost their captain Hugo Lloris and assistant captain Raphael Varane to retirement in the wake of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final loss, they had a gap to fill in terms of who would take up the mantle of leadership in the national team. 

Even when there was no announcement, Mbappe had been touted as the favourite, despite the presence of the more experienced Griezmann who was a veteran of three World Cups and two European Championships.

After the decision to make Mbappe captain was made, rumours of Giezmann’s discontent started to swirl, and a report from L’Equipe suggests that the Atletico Madrid forward could be set to quit the team as a result. 

Griezmann, who is 32, has played 117 matches for France, scoring 42 goals while Mbappe, who is eight years younger than him, has played only 66, although scoring at a better rate with 36 goals already. 

In all of this, Olivier Giroud, who is older than both and has more caps and goals than both, has neither been considered for the position of captain nor has he been noted to be at variance with Didier Deschamps’ eventual choice.