Antoine Griezmann has known everything with the Blues.
Between disappointments, glory and consecration, the number 7 of the France team went through all the emotions during his first 99 selections.
Almost a hundred years old - he will become so against Spain this Sunday, in the final of the League of Nations (8:45 p.m.) - like eight other players of the France team before him, Griezmann is building a place of his own in the history of French football.
And among the players still in activity, only Olivier Giroud (110 selections) and Hugo Lloris (133 selections) have worn the blue jersey more times than him.
At 30, “Grizou” is already a monument in the French team.
Back on five of his most important games.
Thank you all for your support 💙 and see you on Sunday for the Nations League Final against Spain!
🇪🇸 @AntoGriezmann 💯 pic.twitter.com/0uf4dZT8OD
- French team ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) October 8, 2021
France - Netherlands (2-0), in 2014: time to choose
A few months before the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the one who could still claim the Portuguese selection (country of his maternal grandparents), finally chose to play in the blue-white-red jersey.
Didier Deschamps summons him in March and launches him into the deep end from his first gathering.
A first tenure in attack to the right of Karim Benzema, already, or of Paul Pogba, Raphaël Varane and Hugo Lloris.
Decked out with the number 11, the young "Grizou" delivers a convincing score, at the origin of the opening of the score of Benzema (32nd), before giving way to Loïc Rémy after the hour mark. His first goal in blue will not be long, two selections later against Paraguay.
Right foot please, him lefty.
France - Germany (0-1), in 2014: inconsolable Griezmann
His tears, at the end of the quarter-final of the World Cup, lost after this famous aerial duel between Raphaël Varane and Mats Hummels, and because of the iron fist of Manuel Neuer, go around the world.
Holder for this terribly important match of July 2014 in favor of a first convincing international competition so far, Griezmann is inconsolable at the final whistle.
A heartbreaking disappointment.
But a founder for the rest of her career, and that of the France team.
Germany - France (0-2), in 2016: definitely in the hearts of the French
Sparkling during the 2016 European Championship, the Mâconnais will be named best player of the tournament played in France, at home.
With performances more decisive than the others and six goals in total, the striker then at Atlético de Madrid will definitely win the hearts of the French during the competition.
If his header in the group stage against Albania will deliver a French team in full doubt and open the doors to the round of 16, it is above all his double in the semi-finals at the Vélodrome against the German ogre, and at the Neuer's expense, which will be remembered.
Two years after the tears, Griezmann crucifies the Mannschaft and qualifies the Blues in the final of the Euro, on his own.
Euro 2016 Stadium Vélodrome GERMANY / FRANCEDemi-finals
France - Croatia (4-2), in 2018: the star of the consecration
Built by successes but also failures, Antoine Griezmann arrives at the World Cup confident in his strength, surrounded by a group of experienced and talented players.
He will be preponderant in the formidable tricolor adventure in Russia, scorer in the round of 16 in an epic match against Argentina (4-3), he does it again in the quarters against Uruguay (1-0).
But it was this evening in July 2018 that he reached the peak of his sports career in the French team.
It was he who, in the final against the Croats, caused the opening of the scoring against his camp of Mario Mandžukić (18th), then revived the French to 2-1 with an unstoppable penalty (38th).
Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé will take care of the rest.
He was elected man of the match in the final, 20 years after the first French star.
France - Finland (2-0), in 2021: a double for history
A fine passer and formidable team player, Griezmann is also an outstanding goalscorer, making his mark on the history of his selection.
Symbol of all the thickness taken by the Mâconnais, the number 7 tricolor had, against Finland, score his 40th and 41st goals with the blue jersey.
Joining the legend Michel Platini that evening in September in the third position of the French team's top scorers (in 98 selections, against 72 for Platoche).
Sunday against Spain, he will have the opportunity to overtake him and offer a trophy to his country.