“Generation Griezmann” is the new name given to France at this year’s Euro 2016 Championship. Reasons for this newly adopted name is clearly due to the evidence of qualities being showed by one brilliant chap Antoine Griezmann. A 25-year-old who was rejected by a championship side Fulham barely two years ago.


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And his name is heralded across the length and breadth of the country. Here we look at whether the Atletico Madrid forward merit the comparisons to France football legend Michel Platini.

France succeeded in biding the 1984 Euro, a tournament which was eventually won by the Les Blues. And Michel Platini was the name on every France citizen’s lips in that year.

Captain of the side Michel Platini had a successful tournament scoring nine goals including a superb low free-kick opener on 57th minute in 2-0 win final game against Spain.

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Another European Championship year of 2016 looks to set to merit the 1984 edition for France and Atoine Griezmann could be the young player in Platini’s mould.

Griezmann observed a successful season at club level last season after scoring 32 goals in 54 appearances for Atletico Madrid which helped the side to secure a UEFA Champions League Final clash with rivals Real Madrid despite the lost to the Los Blancos, Griezmann was one of the standout performers in that game.

For Griezmann to hit such peak was not of a surprise for many, but with a Euro tournament which triggers surprise at any level, book-markers did not highly rated the lad to reach the top.

His tournament goals started in the Group stage game against Albania after a well located header but that looks to have switched him off a bit. He then bounced back at round sixteenth stage with two goals against Republic of Ireland. This was followed by a goal and two assists in the 5-2 rout of Iceland in the quarter finals. And then scored a brace against Germany with a penalty before capitalizing on Manuel Neueur’s blunder to book a spot for France.


These goals helped him to equal Thierry Henry’s six Euro goals for France and lead the goal scoring chart with six goals, five in the knock-out stage.

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“I’m very pleased. We knew it would be very tough and we held firm defensively, our keeper played very well.

“We have to rest up well and already start thinking about the final. We will start training for it tomorrow“; said Griezmann after France win against Germany.

He was already thinking about how the dream destination will be for him against Portugal at final. To merit Michel Platini’s performance for France in Euro 1984, Griezmann needs to outclass Portugal with confidence and excellent display for France because football lovers still have eyes of comparison in the 2015/16 Champions League final which he missed a must score-win penalty that turned to hand Real Madrid the trophy.

With the backing of array of stars at the midfield, Atoine Griezmann must take advantage of that to mark his name in France history books.