Pundit: The Timing of Griezmann’s Retirement from the National Team is Strange; I Wonder if There’s an Issue with Deschamps

On October 1, according to Live Sports, 33-year-old French football star Antoine Griezmann announced his retirement from the national team yesterday, surprising and saddening the football world. Following this, RMC Sport pundit Roland Courbis shared his views on the matter during a broadcast.

Courbis said, “The first question that comes to mind is why now? It feels like a very strange time, especially since he was still playing for France in two matches after the European Cup in September. I have to wonder if something has gone wrong, some unfortunate event that might have led Griezmann to leave in anger.”

“Then there’s Deschamps, and how he seems to part ways with almost every player poorly. It makes me sad, and it brings back memories. I’ve always considered Griezmann one of the top three players in France, and I still hold that view today. Could he have continued until 2026? I don’t know, but Deschamps won’t be able to field him anymore.”

“His playing style doesn’t quite fit with that of his teammates, making him somewhat of an outlier in this French squad. Perhaps this isn’t the right time, and the decision came suddenly and unexpectedly, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing for him.”

Courbis also suggested that not being named as Lloris’ successor as captain may have been a blow to Griezmann: “The fact is they didn’t give him the captain’s armband, which surprised me. But he was fully committed to the national team, enough to temporarily overcome this emotional setback. I’m not saying this directly led to his departure, but it was part of the reason, a wound that never healed.”

“Another factor is the European Cup, where he no longer enjoyed his central role within the team, even though he was the only player capable of filling that position. The team wanted to play a different style of football, and he was the only technical player. People say he didn’t perform well, but that’s because he was constantly dragged around the flanks instead of playing in his preferred center position, which eroded his confidence.”