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It Would Be A Dream To Win The Ballon d’Or – Griezmann

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He has just completed a training session with Atletico Madrid, where the hopes of doing something great this season go through this mind, but Antoine Griezmann has far more important things, such as winning the Ballon d’Or, occupying his mind.

The Frenchman lives like he plays, and needs to have fun on the pitch to be able to give the necessary level of performance to make him one of the favourites for the award.

It’s been an amazing year for Antoine Griezmann. He has won almost everything with Atletico and France. Happy?

“I ‘m very happy and proud on a personal level, but also collectively as I’m also proud of my teammates, my coaches at the club and in the national team. I have enjoyed this year a lot and in the end we have won titles, which is what I was looking for.”

Can the next step be to win the Ballon d’Or?

“We’ll see what happens. It’s always appreciated that I’m considered for this trophy. Without the collective you can’t aspire to anything, less so to win the Ballon d’Or. It would be a dream to win it, that’s clear.”

You’ve been the best in two of the three finals that you’ve played this year. Can that be definitive to take the award?

“I’m not the one who votes, it would be easier if I were (laughs)… First I wanted to be a key player in important moments, then be decisive in all the finals I play. The two previous finals (the Champions League and the European Championship in 2016 with Atletico and France, respectively) I lost and I thought it was my fault.”

Is Antoine Griezmann in the best moment of his career as an elite footballer?

“I hope my best moment is still to come. I am enjoying my football and also winning titles. I’m happy both in the French team and at Atleti. I have great teammates and coaches and surely I can still improve.”

The last Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or was Zinedine Zidane, precisely in the year of the first World Cup for his and your country. Is that a sign that Griezmann can repeat it 20 years later?

“It would be good if the winner was a Frenchman, if it’s my turn, even better. If a Frenchman wins, I’d be proud that he won it because we had a great World Cup.”

Given your age and that of Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi… Do you dream of equaling the three trophies that Platini conquered in the 80s?

“We will see. The truth is that I still don’t think so far ahead. I’m enjoying my work, and as Diego Simeone always says… match by match.”

Would winning the Ballon d’Or at Atletico make it better because of the difficulty of winning it with this team?

“I don’t know, but winning it with Atleti would make me enter the club’s history books and that’s what I want. To be historic.”

What do you think is missing something to be a clear candidate for the prize?

“Good question. I’m always there, every year and I try to be as good as possible. I know that regularity in performance is important.”

After everything you’ve won, would Antoine Griezmann say that he needs something to improve?

“I always lack something. Every year there is always something to improve. I look for more goals, more assists, to improve everything and enjoy how I am playing.”

In the last derby against Real Madrid, the detail of you applauding the trophies won by Modric and his teammates at ‘The Best’ – which were offered to the crowd – went unnoticed. Did you come out from the dressing room especially to recognise the merits of your rivals?

“Yes, I don’t do it to be seen. I’m like that, honest. When things are done well, you have to applaud. For Modric it’s been an incredible year, in the World Cup and the Champions League. Then Marcelo, Varane, Ramos… and Courtois, although I would’ve liked Lloris or Oblak in there too. You have to applaud that, and it came from within.”

Is this the best way to end the controversy of recent weeks?

“With me there is no controversy. Football is a game to me and I’m having fun. Sometimes people can take things badly, but with me these things are always well intended.”

How do you manage to be a star player for many years in a team that prides itself on work ethic the most?

 

“The sacrifice is obtained because of Cholo and my teammates. At Real Sociedad, I was only interested in attacking. Now I play less with the ball, and I have to see what the team needs. Appearing between spaces is important, and being able to keep pace with the game is what’s required. I do it very well with Atletico and even better with the national team.”

Did you imagine getting to where he you are now in 2009 when you were at Real Sociedad?

“I don’t know, but I wanted to win trophies, win games and earn more money. It was what I had in mind when I was a child. I’ve achieved it but I want more. I hope I can earn more because I’m very ambitious.”

And have fun, right?

“That’s the key, that’s my football. If I don’t have fun – as happened last year from September to November – I’m not happy. It was seen in my football and it was also seen within the team, who noticed it.”

What’s your goal?

“Improve each year in minutes, games won, goals, assists. Improve as a footballer and… at home. Be a good father, but also be a good husband and a good brother.”

An important season ahead with the final of the Champions League final at the Wanda Metropolitano. Is it your dream to be there?

“The final of the Champions League is a dream and a goal but it will be difficult. There are great teams in the tournament and we will try to do our best. It must be a goal for us.”

Does Football owe a Champions League win to this Atleti after losing the two finals in 2014 and 2016, the second with you on the pitch?

“Football gives when it has to give. Maybe our luck will change this year.”

With Barcelona and Real Madrid ceding points continuously, can this be the season for Atleti to triumph in LaLiga Santander?

“There is a lot of the championship left. We are an annoying team and will be between the two, Barcelona and Real Madrid. We want to win all the matches and we will see how things end up.”

Is the current one the best Atletico team?

“When they were LaLiga Santander champions in 2014, Atleti had a very good team. There are now very talented players who can do very well, but the league winning side was an incredible team. The club has made a great effort for important players to stay, and bring good players to improve it. Now it’s up to us to see where we take it.”

Diego Costa said to MARCA that you stayed at Atletico because of your heart. What motivated you to take the decision you did, rather than signing for Barcelona?

“Yes, I stayed for that. I stayed because they gave me love… You see it when you are in difficulty. I talked a lot with El Cholo, with the captains, also with the club. They were difficult months, but everything went well. In the end the matter went as I wanted.”

A home theatre… and a professional chair for video games

Griezmann has never hidden his passion for video games.

In fact, he has even bought a professional seat so that his back doesn’t hurt.

“I have a home theatre, also a basketball court, these are the things I asked for when building the house,” he said.

“My ideal video game set up is with a table and two screens (one to play and another in case I want to see NBA or football on TV with the other eye).

“I have a professional seat and I am doing well because my back doesn’t hurt anymore.”

The museum in his home

What his house lacks is a museum with all Griezmann’s trophies.

He will build it soon, when he changes his house around.

“I need a museum with my trophies, my things,” he added.

“We’ll change our house if everything goes well, I will make a room with shirts, trophies…”

Cold water pool to recover faster

The Frenchman always thinks about being physically well.

Hence, recovery at home with cold water is preferred.

“I wanted to have a small pool of cold water to recover better, and I also have a gym but I never go,” he admitted.

Little time with Mia

Among the things he wants to improve is to spend more time with his daughter Mia.

“With my daughter I spend too little time,” he noted.

“I miss her but I take advantage and go to school, pick her up and try to have fun together.”

Decoration, his wife’s thing

Focused on football, the Frenchman left the decoration of the house to his wife, Erika.

“My house was made by my wife,” he laughed.

“I have a wonderful woman who prepares everything.”

A homebody, he doesn’t like shopping or restaurants

Far from the image of other footballers, the Frenchman prefers staying at home.

“I don’t go out very much,” he said.

“I don’t like to go for a walk, to go shopping or restaurants, as I’m more comfortable at home.

“I also prefer guests to come to the house.”

A cook for his diet

Griezmann needs a healthy diet.

He employs a cook… and convinced his mother that he takes care of the food.

“It helps me and the family, even though my mother wanted to cook for us,” he added.

“I’ll leave her in France!”

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