Here’s something that makes you stop and think. Antoine Griezmann turned 35 years old in March 2026 — and he’s still one of the most important players at one of Europe’s top clubs. No rotation squad. No farewell-tour cameos. He’s starting games, scoring goals, making assists, and keeping Atletico Madrid competitive in both La Liga and the Champions League. At an age when most forwards have slowed down significantly, Griezmann is defying the pattern.
This is a complete biography of Antoine Griezmann, covering his age, early life, career journey, personal life, net worth, and what he’s up to right now in 2026.
Who Is Antoine Griezmann?
Antoine Griezmann is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Atletico Madrid in Spain’s La Liga. He is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation — a World Cup winner, a two-time Ballon d’Or finalist, and the all-time top scorer in Atletico Madrid’s history. What makes him unique isn’t just the trophies or the goals. It’s the fact that he keeps reinventing himself as a player while remaining the same person off the pitch — grounded, family-focused, and remarkably humble for someone at his level of global fame.
How Old Is Antoine Griezmann in 2026?
Antoine Griezmann is 35 years old, having been born on 21 March 1991. In football years, that’s considered a veteran age — the stage where most attackers start to fade out of the spotlight, accept reduced roles, or wind down in lower leagues. Griezmann, clearly, didn’t get that memo.
Why His Age Surprises So Many Football Fans
The reason Griezmann’s age catches people off guard is simple — he doesn’t play like a 34-year-old. He’s still pressing defenders, still making clever runs into space, still delivering clutch moments in big games. During the 2025–26 La Liga season alone, he’s made over 40 appearances and contributed 13 goals and 6 assists across all competitions. For context, that’s a return that most players ten years younger would be proud of. His physical conditioning, combined with a tactical intelligence that only improves with age, makes him one of the more unusual cases in modern football.
Early Life – The Boy France Didn’t Want
The most important thing to understand about Antoine Griezmann is that his story almost didn’t happen at all. Not because of injury or bad luck — but because the clubs that were supposed to give him a chance looked at a skinny kid from Mâcon and decided he simply wasn’t good enough.
Growing Up in Mâcon with Mixed Heritage
Antoine Griezmann was born on 21 March 1991 in Mâcon, a quiet commune in the Saône-et-Loire department of eastern France. His background is genuinely multicultural in a way that shaped both who he is and how he’s perceived across multiple countries.
His father, Alain Griezmann, is a town councillor with distant German ancestry — the family surname actually traces back to “Grieszmann,” a name that migrated from Münster in the early 19th century. His mother, Isabelle Lopes, is of Portuguese descent. Her father, Amaro Lopes, was a professional footballer in Portugal — meaning football talent genuinely does run through Griezmann’s bloodline on his maternal side. As a child, Antoine spent many of his summer holidays in Paços de Ferreira, Portugal, building a connection to his mother’s roots that he’s maintained throughout his adult life.
The Rejection That Changed His Life
Growing up, Griezmann played for UF Mâconnais, his hometown club. He tried out for several major French academies — including Lyon, the club he actually supported as a child. They all said no. The reason, almost universally, was his size. He was considered too small, too slight, not physically equipped to compete at the elite level. It’s a story you hear and almost can’t believe when you consider what came after, but it was very real and it left a mark on him.
The turning point came in 2005. While on trial with Montpellier, Griezmann played in a friendly against PSG’s youth team in Paris. Scouts from Spanish club Real Sociedad were in attendance, and they saw something the French clubs had missed. Within weeks, he had a one-week trial in San Sebastián. That one week turned into two. And then it turned into a youth contract.
From Youth Outcast to Real Sociedad’s Star Boy
Leaving France at 14 was not an easy decision for anyone in the Griezmann household. His parents were understandably reluctant to send their teenage son to another country. But they trusted the opportunity, and Antoine moved to the Basque Country to begin the most formative chapter of his development.
Life in the Basque Country as a Teenager
Griezmann didn’t just jump into football training and ignore everything else. He attended school in Bayonne — just across the French border — while training each evening at Real Sociedad’s facilities in San Sebastián. It was a demanding schedule for an adolescent, but it installed a discipline and work ethic that you can see reflected in every stage of his later career. He spent four years in the Zubieta youth academy, learning Spanish, adapting to a different football culture, and slowly developing the technical qualities that would one day earn him a €120 million price tag.
His Professional Debut and Promotion Season
Griezmann made his competitive debut for Real Sociedad’s first team on 2 September 2009, coming off the bench in a Copa del Rey match against Rayo Vallecano. He was 18 years old. Four days later, he made his league debut. By late September, he was scoring goals regularly. His composure in front of goal, even at that age, was striking.
That first professional season ended with Real Sociedad winning the Segunda División and winning promotion to La Liga. Griezmann played a meaningful role in that achievement. Over the next four seasons at the club, he continued to grow — scoring against Barcelona, making his mark in European competition, and establishing himself as one of the most watchable young forwards in Spanish football.
Atletico Madrid – Where Griezmann Became a Legend
In the summer of 2014, Atletico Madrid made what was then a club-record signing. They paid €30 million to bring Griezmann from Real Sociedad. It looked like a big investment at the time. In retrospect, it was arguably the best piece of business the club has ever done.
The €30 Million Move That Changed His Career
Under Diego Simeone, Griezmann found the perfect environment. Simeone’s Atletico demanded pressing, defensive contribution, and collective effort from every single player — including the attackers. Griezmann delivered all of that while also contributing an extraordinary volume of goals and assists. He bought into the system completely and thrived within it.
In his first full season, he helped the club win the Supercopa de España. The trophies kept coming: Europa League in 2018, UEFA Super Cup, and multiple domestic honours. More significantly, he developed into one of the top three players in the world, finishing third in the Ballon d’Or in both 2016 and 2018, narrowly behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi — the two players who dominated that era entirely.
Champions League Final, Europa League Glory, and Ballon d’Or Nominations
The 2015–16 Champions League season was probably Griezmann’s most defining club campaign before his World Cup triumph. Atletico reached the final, where they faced Real Madrid. Griezmann scored in the match but ultimately Atletico lost on penalties. The heartbreak was visible. But the performance confirmed that he belonged at the very top of European football.
He won the Europa League in 2018, contributing significantly throughout the campaign. That same year, he was named Silver Boot at the World Cup and won the Bronze Ball — performances that bookend what was arguably the peak of his international career.
Becoming Atletico’s All-Time Top Scorer
When Griezmann returned to Atletico on loan in 2021 and then permanently in 2022, he picked up exactly where he had left off. In January 2024, he netted his 174th goal for the club — surpassing Luis Aragonés to become the all-time leading scorer in Atletico Madrid’s history. It was a moment that received enormous attention in Spain and cemented his legacy at the club permanently. No one who has ever worn the red and white stripes has scored more goals. That’s not a stat you put together by being lucky.
The Barcelona Chapter – A €120 Million Experiment That Didn’t Work
In 2019, Griezmann made one of the most anticipated transfers in football history. Barcelona paid €120 million for him — making him the fifth-most expensive player of all time at that point. Expectation was enormous. The reality was more complicated.
Why the Move Struggled Despite the Price Tag
The issue at Barcelona wasn’t really about ability. Griezmann is, objectively, a world-class player. The problem was tactical and systemic. Lionel Messi occupied the spaces Griezmann naturally thrived in. The team’s offensive structure didn’t accommodate two players who liked to operate in similar zones. Griezmann found himself playing out of position frequently, trying to adapt to a system that wasn’t built around his strengths.
He still contributed — he won the Copa del Rey and scored goals — but the widespread expectation was that a player who had been transformative at Atletico would be transformative at Barca too. That didn’t happen, and both club and player were honest enough to acknowledge it. The loan back to Atletico in 2021, and the permanent return in 2022, felt like relief for everyone involved.
The Return to Madrid and What It Said About Him
What Griezmann did after returning to Atletico said something important about his character. He could have sulked, pointed fingers, or disengaged. Instead, he was immediately back to his best — creative, energetic, decisive. He broke the all-time scoring record. He extended his contract. He became the club’s most important player again. The Barcelona years, frustrating as they were, didn’t define him. What he did after defined him.
How Griezmann’s Playing Style Has Evolved With Age
One of the most interesting aspects of Griezmann’s career is watching how intelligently he has adapted his game as his body has changed.
From Pacey Winger to Intelligent Second Striker
In his earlier years at Real Sociedad and the first spell at Atletico, Griezmann was primarily a wide forward who could cut inside and finish. He was quick, direct, and relied heavily on explosive movement to create opportunities. That version of Griezmann is effectively gone now. What replaced it is in many ways more impressive.
He’s become a complete second striker — one who drops deep to collect the ball, links play intelligently, makes diagonal runs at the right moment, and positions himself where the ball will arrive rather than where it currently is. His goal tally hasn’t collapsed because he can’t sprint as fast. It’s actually remained competitive because his reading of the game has grown sharper with every passing season.
The Deep Midfielder Role at the 2022 World Cup
Perhaps the clearest illustration of Griezmann’s evolution was at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. France manager Didier Deschamps deployed him in an advanced central midfield role — something between a deep-lying playmaker and a second striker. Griezmann was France’s most creative player throughout the tournament, operating as the connective tissue between defence and attack. He didn’t score many but his contribution to France reaching the final was significant and widely acknowledged by analysts.
Griezmann’s International Career With France
Griezmann’s international career is one of the most decorated in the history of French football. He earned 137 caps, scored 44 goals, and remains France’s leading assist provider of all time.
Euro 2016 – The Tournament He Owned
At UEFA Euro 2016, with France hosting the tournament, Griezmann was simply the best player in the competition. He finished as the top scorer with six goals, was named Player of the Tournament, and dragged his country to the final almost singlehandedly at times. France lost that final to Portugal — a loss that clearly hurt — but no individual player outperformed Griezmann across the entire tournament.
2018 World Cup Glory and His Role in the Final
The 2018 World Cup in Russia was Griezmann’s crowning international moment. France won the tournament, and Griezmann was central to their success throughout the competition. In the final against Croatia, he converted a penalty and assisted another goal as France won 4–2. He took home the Silver Boot and the Bronze Ball. More importantly, he was a World Champion — the thing he had been building toward since that kid in Mâcon first fell in love with football.
Why He Retired From International Football in 2024
In September 2024, Griezmann officially retired from international football. He had earned 137 caps over a decade of service to the French national team. His decision was straightforward — at 33, he wanted to preserve himself for his club career, focus on his family, and leave on his own terms rather than wait to be phased out. France thanked him. The football world respected the decision. He left without drama and without bitterness.
Antoine Griezmann’s 2025–26 Season – What He’s Doing at Age 34–35
Here’s the part that genuinely impresses. In the 2025–26 season, at 34–35 years old, Griezmann has made over 43 appearances for Atletico Madrid across all competitions, contributing 13 goals and 6 assists. Diego Simeone continues to rely on him as a starter rather than a rotation option. Atletico are still in the Champions League and reached the Copa del Rey final — and Griezmann is a significant reason why.
Current Form, Stats, and Diego Simeone’s Trust in Him
In La Liga alone during 2025–26, Griezmann has recorded 6 goals, 1 assist, and 911 minutes of football with an average FotMob rating of 6.84. For a 34-year-old striker, those are not numbers that suggest decline. His minutes tally alone is evidence of Simeone’s confidence in him — you don’t keep a player this involved at this stage of his career out of sentiment.
The Orlando City MLS Saga and Contract Extension Until 2027
During the winter of 2025–26, reports emerged that Griezmann was in talks with Orlando City SC in Major League Soccer. The American club reportedly pushed to finalise a deal as early as the January window. Griezmann declined, wanting to complete the season with Atletico — particularly given the Champions League campaign and Copa del Rey commitments. He signed a contract extension with Atletico in June 2025 that keeps him in Madrid until June 2027. The MLS move hasn’t been ruled out entirely — it’s more a question of timing than desire. Orlando City remains interested, and Griezmann has a deal reportedly in place for when his Atletico contract ends.
Antoine Griezmann’s Personal Life
Away from football, Griezmann is a private person by the standards of modern elite athletes. He doesn’t court celebrity status or use his personal life as content.
His Wife Erika Choperena – The Woman Behind the Player
Erika Choperena is a Spanish childhood education expert from the Basque Country. She and Griezmann first met during his years at Real Sociedad — she was a university student in San Sebastián at the time. They kept their relationship private for several years before making it public, and they got married in June 2017 in a ceremony in Toledo, Spain. The wedding was a tastefully private affair, reflecting both of their personalities. She’s often present in the stands during important matches, supporting her husband quietly rather than seeking the spotlight for herself.
Four Children and the April 8 Birthday Coincidence
Griezmann and Erika have four children together. Their first daughter, Mia, was born in April 2016. Their son Amaro arrived in April 2019. Their second daughter, Alba, was born in April 2021. And in June 2025, they welcomed their fourth child, Shai, into the world. What makes the first three children particularly notable is that all three of them — Mia, Amaro, and Alba — share the same birthday: April 8. The probability of that happening naturally is extraordinarily small, and it’s become one of the more charming footnotes in Griezmann’s personal story.
Life in La Finca, Madrid
The family lives in La Finca, one of the most prestigious and exclusive residential areas in Madrid. Their home there is valued at approximately $6 million. It’s the kind of neighbourhood where privacy is protected by design — gated, secluded, far from the paparazzi culture that defines celebrity life in more central parts of the city. Griezmann’s preference for this kind of understated life is consistent with everything else you know about him.
Antoine Griezmann’s Net Worth and Earnings in 2025
Antoine Griezmann has accumulated significant wealth over his career through a combination of club contracts, international appearances, and commercial deals.
Salary at Atletico Madrid
Griezmann currently earns approximately €12.5 million gross per year at Atletico Madrid — roughly £232,000 per week. That makes him one of the highest-paid players in La Liga. His contract, extended in June 2025, runs until June 2027. While it’s lower than his peak earnings at Barcelona, it’s still an enormous figure and reflects the value Atletico place on having him in their squad.
His total estimated net worth is approximately $90 million, built up across over 15 years of top-level professional football and a range of commercial activities.
Endorsements, Grizi Esports, and the Decathlon Switch
Griezmann made one of the more surprising commercial moves in early 2025 when he ended a 14-year partnership with Puma and signed a new boots deal with Decathlon’s Kipsta brand. For a player of his profile to leave a major international sports brand for a French mass-market retailer was unexpected, but it reflected his willingness to make unconventional decisions when he believes in them.
Outside football, he co-founded Grizi Esports, a competitive gaming organisation that has grown steadily in the French and European esports market. It’s a long-term investment in an industry he genuinely loves — Griezmann has always been publicly enthusiastic about gaming culture, and the esports venture is clearly not just a sponsorship exercise.
He’s also had commercial relationships over the years with Gillette, Head & Shoulders, EA Sports, Beats Electronics, and others. His social media presence — with over 40 million followers on Instagram — makes him one of the more commercially valuable athletes in European sport independent of his club affiliation.
Fun Facts and Lesser-Known Things About Griezmann
- He was rejected by multiple French clubs including Lyon as a 13-year-old for being “too small”
- He supported Lyon as a child — the same club that rejected him
- His maternal grandfather, Amaro Lopes, was a professional footballer in Portugal
- His family surname was originally “Grieszmann” and was changed after a German ancestor migrated to France in the early 19th century
- All three of his first children share the same birthday: April 8
- He made a documentary in 2018 called “La Décision” — inspired by LeBron James’s “The Decision” — where he announced his future plans to remain at Atletico before eventually moving to Barcelona the following year
- He launched Grizi Esports as a serious business venture in competitive gaming, not just as a celebrity side project
- He switched from Puma to Decathlon Kipsta boots in 2025, ending a 14-year partnership with one of football’s major sponsors
- He is France’s all-time leading assist provider in international football
Frequently Asked Questions About Antoine Griezmann
How old is Antoine Griezmann?
Antoine Griezmann was born on 21 March 1991. He is 34 years old as of 2025 and turns 35 in March 2026.
What nationality is Griezmann?
Griezmann is French. He was born in Mâcon, France. His father has German ancestry and his mother is of Portuguese descent, giving him a genuinely multicultural heritage.
Is Griezmann still playing in 2025?
Yes. As of the 2025–26 season, Griezmann is still an active, starting player for Atletico Madrid. He’s made over 43 appearances this season, contributing 13 goals and 6 assists across all competitions.
Who is Antoine Griezmann’s wife?
Griezmann is married to Erika Choperena, a Spanish childhood education expert from the Basque Country. They met during his time at Real Sociedad and married in June 2017 in Toledo, Spain.
How many children does Griezmann have?
He has four children with Erika Choperena — daughter Mia (2016), son Amaro (2019), daughter Alba (2021), and their fourth child Shai, born in June 2025. His first three children all share the same birthday: April 8.
What is Antoine Griezmann’s net worth?
Griezmann’s net worth is estimated at approximately $90 million, built across a career that has included major contracts at Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and a range of commercial endorsements. His current salary at Atletico is approximately €12.5 million per year.
Why did Griezmann retire from international football?
Griezmann announced his retirement from the French national team in September 2024. After earning 137 caps and winning the 2018 World Cup, he decided to step away on his own terms to focus on his club career and family. It was a planned, dignified exit rather than one forced by form or injury.
Is Griezmann going to MLS?
Griezmann was in discussions with Orlando City SC in Major League Soccer during the 2025–26 winter window, but he chose to stay at Atletico for the remainder of the season. A move to MLS after his contract ends in June 2027 remains a real possibility, with reports suggesting a framework agreement between Griezmann and Orlando City is already in place.