Antoine Griezmann Commits to Atlético Madrid Until 2027 in Strategic Contract Extension
On a warm Monday morning in Madrid, Atlético’s press room filled with a familiar buzz. Antoine Griezmann, now 34 but still boyish at heart, appeared alongside club CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín to confirm a one-year extension that tacks an extra season onto his existing deal, binding him to the Metropolitano until 30 June 2027. The announcement may read like a routine retention, yet beneath the headline lies a sophisticated piece of squad-building and a love letter between player, coach and city. Diario AS
Why another season actually helps the books
Atlético’s accountants, wrestling with LaLiga’s stringent squad-spending bar, spotted an elegant solution: spread the final season of Griezmann’s hefty wage packet over two years instead of one. The Frenchman still pockets the same gross sum, but by deferring half of it to 2026-27 the club frees room on next year’s payroll—space Diego Simeone hopes to convert into fresh legs for a title push. In other words, the headline is sporting romance; the footnote is shrewd arithmetic. Cadena SER
A scorer whose records keep rewriting themselves
Griezmann already stands alone atop Atlético’s all-time scoring list on 197 goals, eclipsing the legend Luis Aragonés last winter. Only Jan Oblak and Ángel Correa have played more matches among foreign imports; with 442 official appearances, Griezmann ranks eighth overall and could climb to the top five if he stays healthy through 2025-26. The extension ensures Madridistas will watch him stride past the magic 200-goal mark in red-and-white, not on a streaming feed from Los Angeles. Diario AS
A season of mixed numbers, yet undimmed influence
Stat sheets paint a curious picture. In LaLiga he struck eight times in 38 outings, his leanest domestic haul since the COVID-hit campaign, yet across all competitions he still delivered 16 goals and nine assists, many in clutch moments: a delicate chip at San Mamés, a back-heel flick to rescue draw at Cádiz, a trademark near-post corner routine versus Manchester United. Even while Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth soaked up spotlight minutes, Griezmann’s gravity in pockets between midfield and attack remained Atlético’s creative compass. OneFootball
The enduring Simeone-Griezmann symbiosis
Diego Simeone frequently calls the Frenchman “a striker who thinks like a midfielder,” a rare breed able to press, pivot and poach in a single phase. Their bond, welded over nine seasons across two spells, underpins the club’s footballing identity as surely as the black-on-red stripes themselves. Extending that relationship offers Simeone tactical continuity at a time when the squad’s younger forwards are still calibrating their roles.
MLS on hold—but not forgotten
Nobody at the Metropolitano hides the elephant in the room: Major League Soccer remains Griezmann’s stated “objective” for the sunset of his career. LAFC pitched hard this spring, armed with countrymen Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris in the locker-room and a Designated Player slot earmarked for the bearded No. 7. Sources close to the negotiations say the forward and club reached a “gentlemen’s pact” to revisit the American dream in 2026, after one final lap in Europe. The extension therefore reads less as a five-year marriage and more as a vow to finish current business before exploring new horizons. Diario ASESPN.com
What the deal means for Atlético’s summer chessboard
With payroll relief in place, Sporting Director Andrea Berta can pursue a long-sought left-back, depth behind Koke in midfield, and perhaps an extra centre-half to spell an ageing back line. Griezmann’s willingness to defer wages sends a message inside the dressing room: if the club’s emblematic star can sacrifice today for tomorrow’s collective gain, who can refuse a similar gesture?
The silverware itch that still needs scratching
Despite a medal cabinet that features the 2018 Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and Spanish Supercopa, plus the small matter of a World Cup with France, Griezmann has never paraded a LaLiga trophy in an Atlético shirt—an irony he jokes about, given that Atleti captured the 2020-21 title while he was on Barcelona’s payroll. Champions League glory has proved equally elusive; the penalty he skied against Real Madrid in 2016 still surfaces in late-night interviews. The extension frames 2025-26 as a last-chance quest for one of those two holy grails. Diario AS
How will Simeone manage minutes for a 35-year-old talisman?
The coaching staff already began tapering Griezmann’s workload over the past campaign, trimming his league starts to preserve bursts of zip for Europe. Expect an even more curated schedule next term: selective rotations, cameo roles when Atleti require a lock-picker, and perhaps a mentorship pairing with rising academy gem Javi Serrano in that shadow-striker slot. The Frenchman is unlikely to chase Golden Boots; his value lies in delivering decisive touches when margins blur to nothing.
Legacy in numbers, but also in culture
Beyond goals and assists, Griezmann’s influence radiates in the stands. Kids mimic his Fortnite dances in the Fondo Sur; elderly socios appreciate his self-deprecating Madrid-via-Mâcon Spanish; teammates cite his daily 8 a.m. arrival as a metric of professionalism. Extending him was therefore as much about safeguarding intangible heritage as about on-pitch output.
Financial ripple effect across LaLiga
Rivals recognise the cleverness of Atlético’s manoeuvre. By elongating, not inflating, Griezmann’s salary, the club circumvents the “1:1” restriction that limits wage increases without matching savings elsewhere. It’s a template other Spanish sides may copy—Real Betis with Isco, perhaps, or Real Sociedad should they wish to reward Martín Zubimendi without wrecking their cap. LaLiga’s regulator has yet to indicate whether it will tighten wording against similar future deals, but for now the board at the Cívitas Metropolitano feels vindicated.
Dressing-room reaction: applause and ambition
Social media flooded with celebratory emojis—Álvaro Morata posted a royal crown, Rodrigo De Paul dropped three red-and-white hearts—yet inside the training ground, the extension came with a challenge. Captain Koke addressed the squad: “Antoine’s here because he believes we can make history. Let’s give him the farewell season he deserves.” Sources say the speech drew a standing ovation, punctuated by Griezmann’s own promise to take younger teammates to his favourite NBA-themed burger joint if they hit the ground running in pre-season.
Looking ahead: fixtures that could define the farewell tour
Circle late September’s derby at the Bernabéu, where Griezmann could notch career goal 200 in league play; a December Champions League group finale at the Metropolitano, likely to coincide with his 450th appearance; and, if fate permits, a spring showdown with Barcelona in which he might overtake Fernando Torres on Atlético’s all-time appearance chart. Each milestone now stands on the 2025-26 horizon—tests of body, mind and legend.
Source: Atlético Madrid renew Antoine Griezmann contract through 2027
The human angle: why home still matters
Asked why the American adventure can wait, Griezmann smiled and gestured toward his daughters in the front row of the press area. “They’re Madrileñas,” he said. “They love their school, their friends, the atmosphere in the stadium. I owe them one more year of stability.” That family note, more than spreadsheets or trophies, explained the morning’s signature.
Conclusion: a contract that buys time and belief
By extending a club icon yet removing immediate fiscal pressure, Atlético Madrid have executed a two-step dance: honouring loyalty while arming themselves for an ambitious rebuild. For Griezmann, the pact offers both security and a sunset runway to chase the only medals missing from his drawer. If 2025-26 ends with a LaLiga or Champions League parade, his delayed journey to MLS will feel like a victory lap rather than an escape. Until then, the Metropolitano can keep singing the anthem that has become his soundtrack: “¡Ole, ole, ole, Griezmann, Griezmann!”
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