Antoine Griezmann — Stats, Salary & Profile 2026
Antoine Griezmann, 35, is Atletico Madrid's talismanic forward wearing number 7. The French World Cup winner has delivered 13 goals and 8 assists in 2025-26, earning €18 million annually on a contract expiring June 2026. A 2018 World Cup champion and Atletico's all-time top scorer, Griezmann remains one of La Liga's most complete attackers.
Quick Facts — Antoine Griezmann
How Has Griezmann Performed in His Final Contract Year?
Antoine Griezmann is playing what could be his final season at Atletico Madrid with a fire that belies his 35 years. His 13 goals and 8 assists represent 21 direct goal involvements — the highest in the Atletico squad and more than any player at the club has produced in a single season since Griezmann himself scored 29 in 2017-18. What makes these numbers even more impressive is the context: Simeone has deployed him in a deeper, more creative role this season, asking him to orchestrate attacks rather than simply finish them. His 8 assists are a career high, reflecting a tactical evolution that has extended his elite production years.
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 25 | 10 | 6 | 2,098 |
| Champions League | 7 | 3 | 2 | 563 |
| Total | 32 | 13 | 8 | 2,661 |
Salary Overview
Griezmann's €18 million annual salary makes him the highest-paid player in Atletico Madrid's history and the 4th highest in La Liga overall. The salary was set during his return from Barcelona in 2021, when Atletico negotiated a reduced transfer fee in exchange for enhanced wage terms. With the contract expiring in June 2026, the question of whether Griezmann takes a pay cut to extend for one more season — or retires at the top level — will dominate the summer transfer narrative.
What Are Griezmann's Defining Career Moments?
Antoine Griezmann's career is a study in resilience. Rejected by multiple French academies as a teenager for being "too small" (he stands 1.76m), he moved to Spain at age 14 to join Real Sociedad's youth academy. That decision shaped his entire career: he learned Spanish football from the inside, developed a tactical intelligence that pure athletes often lack, and built a love for Atletico Madrid that survived even his controversial transfer to Barcelona in 2019.
- 1.2018 FIFA World Cup Winner
Scored 4 goals including a penalty in the final vs Croatia. Named to the tournament's Best XI.
- 2.Euro 2016 Golden Boot (6 goals)
Top scorer at the European Championship on home soil, leading France to the final.
- 3.Atletico All-Time Top Scorer (190+ goals)
Surpassed Luis Aragones' record, cementing his status as the club's greatest ever attacker.
- 4.2x Europa League Winner (2018, 2024)
Key performer in both finals, scoring in the 2018 final vs Marseille (3-0 victory).
- 5.France Retirement: 137 Caps, 44 Goals
Retired as France's 3rd all-time scorer in September 2024 after 13 years of international service.
Explore More About Antoine Griezmann
Why Is Griezmann's Intelligence More Valuable Than Ever?
The modern game increasingly values physical attributes — pace, power, pressing intensity — which makes Antoine Griezmann's continued excellence at 35 a compelling case study in football intelligence. His top speed of 29.8 km/h this season places him in the bottom 20% of La Liga forwards. His pressing actions per 90 (14.2) rank below the league median. By every physical metric, Griezmann should be declining. Yet his output — 13 goals and 8 assists — exceeds 95% of forwards in Europe's top five leagues. The explanation lies entirely in cognitive superiority.
Griezmann's spatial awareness has been measured through tracking data at 97th percentile for positional anticipation, meaning he reads where the ball will arrive before other players even see the pass. This manifests in his goal-scoring: 9 of his 13 goals this season have been first-time finishes, requiring no control or preparation touch. He simply appears in the right space at the right millisecond. His heat map reveals a player who covers less ground than almost any forward in La Liga (9.4 km per match) but whose movement within a 30-metre radius of the opponent's goal is devastatingly efficient.
The partnership with Julian Alvarez — who arrived from Manchester City in 2024 — has given Griezmann a complementary runner who does the physical work that Griezmann's body can no longer sustain. Alvarez presses, sprints into channels, and stretches defenses vertically, while Griezmann operates in the pockets of space created by that movement. The data shows they have combined for 7 goals this season (3 Griezmann assists to Alvarez, 4 Alvarez assists to Griezmann), making them the most productive partnership in Simeone's Atletico era. At 35, Griezmann has found a way to be more efficient by doing less but doing it in exactly the right places.
Frequently Asked Questions About Antoine Griezmann
How many goals has Griezmann scored in 2025-26?
Antoine Griezmann has scored 13 goals and provided 8 assists across all competitions for Atletico Madrid in 2025-26. His 21 goal involvements make him the most productive player in the Atletico squad, continuing his status as Diego Simeone's most important creative force.
What is Antoine Griezmann's salary at Atletico Madrid?
Griezmann earns approximately €18 million per year at Atletico Madrid, making him the highest-paid player at the club. His contract expires in June 2026, and given his age (35) and continued output, a short-term extension of 1 year is under discussion.
Did Griezmann retire from international football?
Yes, Antoine Griezmann announced his retirement from the French national team in September 2024, ending a 13-year career with Les Bleus. He earned 137 caps and scored 44 goals, making him France's 3rd all-time top scorer behind Olivier Giroud (57) and Thierry Henry (51).
How old is Griezmann in 2026?
Antoine Griezmann is 35 years old in 2026, born on 21 March 1991 in Macon, France. Despite entering his mid-thirties, his intelligent movement, spatial awareness, and set-piece delivery have allowed him to maintain elite production levels.
What position does Griezmann play?
Griezmann plays as a versatile forward/second striker (#7) for Atletico Madrid. Under Simeone's system, he operates in a free role behind the centre-forward, combining creative playmaking with goalscoring. He is equally effective dropping deep to link play or arriving late in the box.
What trophies has Griezmann won?
Griezmann's trophy cabinet includes the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, 2 Europa League titles with Atletico (2018, 2024), a La Liga title (2021), a Copa del Rey with Barcelona (2021), and the 2016 European Championship runner-up medal. He was the Golden Boot winner at Euro 2016.
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