Griezmann: From the wings to being the engine of France

Even during interactions, Antoine Griezmann deflects glory from himself. He praises Didier Deschamps’s knack of harnessing the best out of players, of Kylian Mbappe’s eye-blinking pace, of how much “irreproachable” Mbappe is, of Rafael Varane’s defensive skills, of his own unflinching support for the LGBTQ+ rights and so on and so forth. He talks about everyone and everything, but not himself.
It’s the person he is; it’s perhaps the player he is too. Long gone are his golden locks, “gone with the youth”, he often jokes, long disappeared has his reluctance to shift positions, long gone is his reservation to drop deep and defend. Perhaps, he is a product of his circumstances. The transfer to Barcelona changed his life around. It was his supposed step to footballing greatness; instead, he languished, unable to soak the burden of wearing the famous jersey, looking trapped and forlorn, as managers and club presidents changed around him, with that his primacy and positions too.
One of the managers, Ronald Koeman deployed him ineffectively on the left-wing too. Not that he did not try, but he was not afforded the time to get acquainted with the new role in the harum-scarum world of league football. A two-year loan-spell to Atletico seemed to brighten his game-time prospects, but Barcelona inserted a tricky clause in the deal, an obligatory purchase option for 40 million pounds if he played more than 45 minutes in 50 percent of the game. His French coach Deschamps would joke: “That’s a good thing for us because he will be fresh.”

Antoine Griezmann is thriving in the #FRA midfield. 🤩#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/64psxQcpVS
— Squawka (@Squawka) December 8, 2022
In Deschamps, he has a sympathetic manager, one who understands not only his game but also his mind. He would keep calling him on and off, instill him with confidence and offer him both love and advice. He identified the core of his malaise at Barcelona. He said: “For me, he is still more effective when he is in the heart of the game (and not on the wings), when he is able to touch the ball a lot. In that position, he has the possibility to come and help in the midfield too. He never complains, but to get the best out of him, you need to give him his best position too.”
But there was a problem even for Deschamps. With the trident of Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Ousmane Dembélé as his preferred forward-line, there was no place to accommodate Griezmann, who was more of an inside left-forward in Russia. The sharp coach figured out that he had the technical skills to become a playmaker behind the front three, a role that Blaise Matuidi has performed with aplomb in the last World Cup, a link between the midfield and forward line, an ass-maker than a goal-scorer. “I thought he has the vision, passing and energy for that. I have told him that he could be an excellent deep-lying playmaker and have joked that he could be a defensive midfielder,” Deschamps said.
Buying him to wear the role was not difficult. So after Euros, he slotted him into the playmaker-midfielder role, and a year on, he has truly blossomed and has been one of France’s invisible heroes this World Cup. He has not yet scored a goal, one was disallowed; racked up just an ass, but six of France’s nine goals originated from him, either his pass to the ass-maker or a block, or a clever dummy, or a quick ball recovery. Only Adrien Rabiot has made more blocks, only Aurélien Tchouaméni and Dayot Upamecano have orchestrated more ball recoveries. “He is the player that makes other players play,” Deschamps would give an alliterative spin.

Whereas in the past, he was seen mostly wandering in and around the edge of the penalty box, he is a more scattered presence these days. Griezmann pitch map would be akin to a scattergun fast bowler. All over the place. He is there on the left filling in space for Mbappe, on the right where Dembele prowls, in central midfield where Rabiot thrusts upfield. Hugo Lloris calls him the “heartbeat” of the team. He is the playmaker-cum-midfield disruptor, the supplier and the enforcer. His maturity meant that France also have not missed Paul Pogba, one of the architects of the Russia triumph.
Griezmann has come to relish the role too. “I am quite free in this new role. I must be the link between the defence and the forwards. I have three players in front of me, so more options, so it is easier for me,” he said last week. “The head coach likes to discuss with the players, know how you are feeling, and then he will find the best balance for the team,” he added.
In his moment of attention, he has not forgotten the kind words of Deschamps. “I owe him everything in the national team. I give everything for France, for the shirt but also for him. And I am trying to do everything I can so he keeps trusting me. Every move, every game is like a ‘thank you’ that I am sending him. I want him to be proud of me.”
As much as his proficiency in the role, the manager feels that he has bloomed into a leader too. Griezmann used to be quiet, even self-effacing in the past, but now he is more authoritative and assertive, shouting and screaming, belting out instructions.“In the absence of Pogba and N’golo (Kante), we needed another leader, and Antoine has asserted himself as one,” Deschamps observed. And steadily, he is retracing the steps of greatness that he had to descend halfway through his career.