World-class France striker Antoine Griezmann has admitted winning the Ballon d’Or would ensure that he went down in Atletico Madrid history.
The World Cup winner was not included in the three finalists for Fifa’s The Best Men’s Player of the Year award, which ultimately went to Luka Modric. Griezmann felt this exclusion was a “pity” and described Fifa’s verdict as “weird” on account of the lack of representation for France’s 2018 World Cup winners.
The 27-year-old forward has now targeted France Football’s award for the world’s best male footballer as the next honour he wishes to win, with the aim of becoming the first Atletico player to win the prize.
There were 30 names announced on the Ballon d’Or longlist last Monday, which included Griezmann.
The closest Griezmann has come to winning the prize was in 2016 when he placed third. In the past decade, it has been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but Griezmann is hoping to finally break that cycle this year.
“To win the Ballon d’Or at Atletico Madrid would allow me to go down in the club’s history,” Griezmann told Marca. “Being a historic player for this club would be a dream and make me proud. That’s what I want, what I’m looking for. I am a very ambitious man and I always want more.”
Can Griezmann win this year’s Ballon d’Or?
Griezmann, who is typically a vocal campaigner when it comes to championing his talents to the media during the individual awards season, has previously been described as “ignorant” by Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos for comparing himself to Messi and Ronaldo. In any case, his point about the lack of French players on Fifa’s three-man shortlist is valid and he is second-favourite to win France Football’s Ballon d’Or, behind Luka Modric, with William Hill.
Griezmann’s case for winning the award this year rests on his tournament success with both club and country last season. After finishing second in La Liga, Atletico went on to win the Europa League with Griezmann scoring six goals along the way including two goals against Marseille in their 3-0 final win. If that was not enough, he was, of course, part of Didier Deschamp’s France squad who were crowned champions at the World Cup in Russia this summer; Griezmann’s total of four goals was second only to England striker Harry Kane, as the French claimed the title for the first time in 20 years.
The post Antoine Griezmann: Winning Ballon d’Or would make me a Atletico Madrid legend appeared first on Squawka News.
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