The World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco did not leave much to remember for posterity: tiny Morocco fought, but failed to shake the giant, who marched into the World Cup final with a 2–0 victory.
France’s goals struck Theo Hernandez and came on as a substitute, scored with his first touch Randal Kolo Muani.
However, he was chosen as the best player of the match Antoine Griezmann.
Griezmann’s performances have delighted throughout the World Cup – despite the fact that the goal king of the 2016 European Championship has not scored a single hit in Qatar.
– He makes those around him better players. His importance to play in both directions is huge, his power stats are top notch. Even though Griezmann doesn’t finish or necessarily provide crucial goal assists, he has arranged big chances for others, Urheilu’s expert Jonne Kunnas crystallize.
From the beginning of the season, Griezmann was in the headlines mainly because of his contract saga: Griezmann, who played in Atletico Madrid on loan from Barcelona, did not enter the matches until after an hour, as the buyout obligation of 40 million euros was fulfilled only after certain minutes.
Since then, Barcelona and Atletico reached an agreement, and the 31-year-old Griezmann returned permanently to Atletico’s ranks.
Griezmann, who excelled at Atletico, had moved to Barcelona for a gigantic transfer amount of 120 million euros in 2019, but the games at the Catalan club were sticky. He returned to Atletico on loan already in autumn 2021.
– The setbacks make this somehow even sweeter: how amazingly the World Cup has gone and how important he is again in the French national team. For him, every season has not only been about artillery, power and championships, so you can feel a little for him, Kunnas states.
For these reasons, Griezmann shines in Qatar
But what makes Griezmann such a good and important player for his team? Sports expert Jonne Kunnas answers.
1. Makes others better
Kylian Mbappe is undoubtedly the biggest star of the French team. He also leads the tournament’s goal exchange together Lionel Messi’s with five goals.
Also a conkar striker Olivier Giroud has been hit and hit in Qatar four times, and it is Ousmane Dembele too got its fair share of annealing.
– Mbappe and Dembele have played quite good matches, but it is clear that France would not be as good without Griezmann. He plays a big role in Mbappe being able to defend more loosely. If Griezmann wasn’t building attacks, Mbappe wouldn’t get as many balls and wouldn’t be able to be involved in as many situations, Kunnas begins.
– He makes the players around him better, which doesn’t show so much on the scoreboard because he’s not finishing attacks.
2. The changed role serves the rights better
Griezmann won the goal crown in the 2016 European Championship, where the host country France also played in the final. Griezmann was chosen as the best player of the tournament.
Nowadays, his role is more to arrange places for others, which, according to Kunnas, serves Griezmann’s qualities better.
– He can move relatively freely between the opponent’s lines where he is needed. He recognizes the space and is often the one who frees Mbappe, Dembele and Giroud to score and advance, Kunnas opens.
– He gets to give passes that promote the game and the responsibility is more in structuring the game than finishing it.
Griezmann has adapted to his new role humbly, although there is plenty of work to do.
– He has an unintelligent workplace in both directions, he is the first in the phase without the ball to initiate the press, but on the other hand, when the opponent rolls deep, he protects the box and initiates counterattacks.
3. The statistics also show that
Piloted in France since 2012 Didier Deschamps trusts his skill like a mountain – the World Cup semi-final against Morocco was Griezmann’s 73rd in a row. The last time Griezmann watched a France match without running on the field was in June 2017, when the team faced England in a friendly.
France is fighting for the World Cup gold, even though its ranks are gone Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba’s and N’Golo Kante superstars like The absence of midfielders has also changed Griezmann’s role somewhat.
– In the previous games, Griezmann’s role was a bit similar, but the difference was that Pogba was largely responsible for the structure of the game. That responsibility has now become more for him. Griezmann also did well in 2018, but now with Pogba and Kante missing, his role is even more important.
Griezmann also excels in statistics.
– Whatever data you look at, his influence is big. The expected goal assist indicates that he has passed a lot to good goal positions, and the other indicators show that he is starting the attack, even if he does not give the last pass. The goal assist expected is the best of the entire World Cup.