Seen from Spain, Antoine Griezmann’s 21st place in the 2023 Ballon d’Or rankings is absolutely not logical.
Third in 2016 and 2018, Antoine Griezmann must not have really enjoyed his ranking for the 2023 Ballon d’Or. Not even in the top twenty, the finalist of the last World Cup with the Blues failed in a disappointing twenty-five -first place. Yet author of a season of high quality on a personal level for AtlĂ©tico de Madrid (where he was crowned best player in 2022-2023), the Frenchman was not spoiled in this famous BO ranking. Enough to provoke many reactions in Spain, or even incomprehension.
Last season, Antoine Griezmann scored fifteen goals and sixteen assists in the league alone. During the World Cup, the offensive French team had a string of quality matches. Aside from a disappointing finale… Which may have cost him dearly. Whatever the case, the majority of the Spanish media were surprised by this twenty-first place in the Ballon d’Or. In comments relayed by Foot Mercatothe journalist of the Cadena SERBruno Alemany, highlighted a certain inconsistency according to him.
A bitter taste
“ If we give importance to the World Cup and that’s why Messi is first, Griezmann cannot be twenty-first. I’m sorry but he had a great season with AtlĂ©tico and he was the second or third best player in the World Cup. It’s not possible that Messi is first and Griezmann twenty-first. » Same story on the side of Marca who for his part had ranked the former Real Sociedad, seventh. For Mundo Deportivo again, the fact that “Grizou” is for example ahead of Kvaratskhelia, Modric or Salah, does not go unnoticed.
In France, this same astonishment was felt by a number of specialized media. For EurosportGriezmann’s place “ leaves a bitter taste in the mouth “. For his part, the main party did not let anything leak out. However, there is little doubt that he would have hoped for better than that.
