Olivier Giroud Appears to Suggest Mbappe ‘Forced’ Antoine Griezmann Into Retirement

• Olivier Giroud appeared to claim Kylian Mbappe's influence led to Antoine Griezmann's sudden retirement
• The 2018 World Cup winner hinted that Mbappe might have 'pushed' Griezmann out of the French national team
• Meanwhile, Mbappe has recused himself from France's squad for Nations League games with Israel and Belgium

Former France international Olivier Giroud has hinted that Kylian Mbappé's elevation to captain may have contributed to Antoine Griezmann's surprising decision to retire from international football.

Griezmann's sudden exit from the national team puzzled French football fans and pundits, sending shockwaves across the footballing world.

Exploring Griezmann's surprising retirement

Since the announcement by Griezmann, many have speculated about the reasons behind the decision.

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At some point in early 2023, Didier Deschamps faced the task of naming a new captain for the French national team following Hugo Lloris' retirement, per Goal.

Lloris, France's most capped player, stepped down after a glittering international career, leaving the armband up for grabs. The two leading candidates were Griezmann and Mbappé.

Did Mbappe's captaincy selection affect Griezmann?

Ultimately, Deschamps chose the younger Mbappé, possibly leaving Griezmann, a seasoned veteran, feeling overlooked.

This sense of being undervalued at the international level was said to have troubled the Atlético Madrid star for some time.

In fact, back in 2019, Deschamps had to personally meet with Griezmann to dissuade him from retiring, highlighting how deeply these emotions have affected the forward.

Giroud reveals why Griezmann retired from France

Speaking to Téléfoot, Olivier Giroud, a longtime teammate of Griezmann and Mbappe, said that the captaincy decision 'affected' his former colleague.

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"He didn’t hide it. It’s legitimate, it’s normal," Giroud explained, as quoted by GFFN.

While the decision may have disheartened Griezmann, Giroud's words have suggested that the feeling of being underappreciated may have finally pushed his national teammate to walk away.

France coach disagrees with Giroud

Deschamps, for his part, admitted that Griezmann was indeed disappointed not to be given the captain's role.

However, the France coach did not believe this alone led to the player's international retirement, suggesting that a culmination of factors beyond the captaincy may have influenced the decision.

Griezmann retires from international football

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Antoine Griezmann has retired from international football, concluding a remarkable 10-year journey with the French national team.

The 33-year-old left the international stage as Les Bleus fourth-most capped player, with his decision coming shortly after another 2018 World Cup winner also retired.

Source: YEN.com.gh