Antoine Griezmann delivered an emotional farewell to Atlético Madrid fans on Sunday, openly admitting that leaving for Barcelona in 2019 was a mistake he made when he was still young.
After Atlético’s 1-0 La Liga win over Girona at the Metropolitano, the Frenchman took the microphone for a heartfelt speech as his family joined him on the pitch.
With the crowd cheering, he said in Spanish: “I apologize again. I didn’t realize the love I had here. I was really young. I made a mistake. I reflected on it, and we did everything we could to come back and enjoy this again.”
Griezmann first arrived at Atlético from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2014 and made his debut later that month in the Supercopa de España against Real Madrid.
He left for Barcelona in 2019 when they triggered his €120 million release clause, before fighting his way back on loan in 2021 — a move that became permanent in 2022 for around €20 million plus add-ons.
During his time at Barcelona, he scored 35 goals and 17 assists in 102 appearances and helped them lift the 2020-21 Copa del Rey.
With Sunday’s match marking his final home game in an Atlético shirt, Griezmann reached exactly 500 appearances, 212 goals, and 100 assists for the club. His trophy haul there includes the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and Supercopa de España.
Griezmann will now head to Major League Soccer to join Orlando City in July, after agreeing to a deal with the club.
