Under the guidance of coach Didier Deschamps, France’s Antoine Griezmann has undergone a remarkable transformation from free-scoring forward to marauding midfielder, his versatile skills now focused on breaking up the opposition’s play and allowing his teammates to score. The outcome of Sunday’s World Cup final is likely to hinge on his duel with Argentina’s Leo Messi.
France’s most prolific striker until not so long ago, Griezmann has stopped scoring for Les Bleus. Not that his coach would care. By every other measure, “Grizou’s” contribution to the team has grown exponentially even as he retreats farther away from the opposition’s goal, morphing into the maestro of Deschamps’ finely tuned orchestra – and Les Bleus’ most valuable team player.
