Antoine Griezmann, the celebrated forward who played a pivotal role in France’s 2018 World Cup triumph, has officially announced his retirement from international football at the age of 33. The Atletico Madrid star shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting on his decade-long journey with a sense of nostalgia.

Griezmann made his debut for the French national team in March 2014 and went on to earn 137 caps, making him one of France’s most-capped players—surpassed only by Hugo Lloris and Lilian Thuram. With 44 goals to his name, he ranks as the fourth-highest goal-scorer in French history, trailing legends Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry, and Kylian Mbappé.

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His contributions were instrumental to France’s success, including a key role in their 2018 World Cup victory, where he scored in the final against Croatia. He was also the top scorer in Euro 2016 and helped lead France to the 2022 World Cup final, where they narrowly lost to Argentina. Griezmann’s last major tournament appearance came at Euro 2024, where France reached the semi-finals but struggled to find top form.

The retirement of Griezmann marks the end of an era for French football, following the recent departures of other stars like Hugo Lloris and Raphael Varane. France’s coach, Didier Deschamps, is expected to announce the next squad for the upcoming Nations League matches in the near future.