Griezmann glad as France get a grip
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
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So excited that he forgot to do his special celebration until his third goal at the finals, Antoine Griezmann told EURO2016.com France look like "a team that can go all the way".
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Antoine Griezmann has clicked into gear and that is terrifying news for France's future UEFA EURO 2016 opponents. A double against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday booked Les Bleus a place in the last eight and took the Atlético forward into joint-top spot in the tournament's goals table. EURO2016.com found the 25-year-old feeling optimistic.
On his prospects of winning the adidas Golden Boot ...
I know I'm joint-top scorer, but winning it is not my aim. My aim is to improve game on game, and I am doing that, so I will keep that up and we will see where I am at the end of the finals. At the beginning of the tournament I was not at my best. I'm feeling better and better the further we go, and the two goals increased my confidence.
On his celebration against Ireland ...
That's a dance from the video to Drake's Hotline Bling. I've been doing it when I score for Atlético and I should have done it when I scored against Albania, but the emotion was too much and I forgot about it. The same thing happened when I equalised against Ireland. For the second goal, I remembered.
On being France's darling ...
I'm very happy about that. I try to respond to the encouragement I get on social media and in the stadium with my performances on the field. I try to give everything I have. I know there is a song in my honour [Antoine Griezmann, Yes He Can by The Concept] as my sister sent me a link to it. I like it.
On his preferred position ...
I'm used to playing up front for Atlético so it was a little bit easier for me in the second half against Ireland. The first time I was picked for France, I told the coach I'd play wherever he needed me, in the middle or on the right. I'm more at home down the middle. When I play in the middle with Kingsley Coman on the right then I can do more or less what I want and it's easier to find spaces to score.
On France's slow starts to games ...
We have to improve on that. In the first half against Ireland we were poor and in the second it was a different France – a team that can go all the way. At half-time we said we had to improve and give everything for our country, for ourselves, for our families and that we had the quality to turn it around.
On playing in the last eight ...
It would be a failure to go out in the quarter-finals. It is a dream to play in a quarter-final at home, in front of your fans. It doesn't matter who the opponents are, you've got to give your all and try to win.