From Los Pajaritos to the World Cup final
This month a very complete version of Griezmann (31 years old) is being seen in Qatar , but not so new for those who follow Atlético game by game. His last performance as a rojiblanco was the visit to Almazán and the Frenchman, in a match where he had a lot to lose and little to gain and with the World Cup eight days away, he won as if it were a final. “Griezmann’s attitude was enormous, that’s why he is world champion. His disposition generates commitment and identification, ”Simeone said that night . Griezmann doesn’t care about the stage, although doing it day after day in the World Cup has, of course, multiplied the praise for his figure. Without a doubt, one of those who most celebrates this performance by Griezmann is precisely Cholo, his great supporter. The Argentine insisted that, as soon as he got within range, the player returned on loan on August 31, 2021 . Surely Grizi is his great work, the footballer he has improved the most. The admiration is mutual. And surely Simeone is not too surprised by what he sees in the World Cup. In fact, he has already used it as a midfielder in many games this season. The Argentine sees him again as “a leader from the game” and Atlético is already revolving around the Frenchman. In Qatar he has not seen the goal, but with his team he has six goals and five assists.
Griezmann’s chains: minute 60
Now Griezmann is happy, although it was a difficult start to the season. He was already coming from a gray first year, with injuries and without a goal, and for weeks the Frenchman did not enter any game before the 60th minute . The key was in the purchase obligation included in the transfer from Barça: if he played more than 50% of the games in the two seasons of the loan, Atleti would have to pay 40 million and keep it . And since it was only considered a ‘game played’ if he was on the field for at least 45 minutes, the measure of pressure was that Griezmann never participated so much. Only from 60′ onwards. Simeone, “club man” as he defined himself, complied and Antoine, who did not want to return to Barça, did the same. On October 10, after conversations, leaks and various hints between clubs, Atleti and Barça reached an agreement and Griezmann signed his new contract until 2026 . And everyone took a load off their shoulders, including Deschamps, who was stunned by an unprecedented case. Now the footballer, the most popular for all, flies and Atlético boasts of a bargain signing. Everyone is enjoying the reborn Griezmann who, through Argentina, looks at his second World Cup…