Antoine Griezmann has reiterated his support for the LGBTQ+ community in the buildup to France’s last-16 World Cup tie with Poland and suggested he feels conflicted playing in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal.
Griezmann has been vocal in his support for LGBTQ+ people and said he was “proud” when the A-League player Josh Cavallo became the first active openly gay male footballer in the world last year. In May, the Blackpool teenager Jake Daniels became the first male footballer in the UK to come out as gay since 1990.
In 2019 the Atlético Madrid forward was the cover star of Têtu, a gay magazine, telling the French publication: “Homophobia isn’t an idea, it’s a crime.” At the time he added: “If a gay footballer wants to come out, he may not have all the players on his side, but he will have me! It is up to us, parents, to educate our children so that they grow up in a less homophobic and less sexist world.”
Griezmann previously said he sympathised with players who “do not come out of the closet because they are afraid”. On Friday Griezmann was asked whether he was embarrassed playing in Qatar after being outspoken on LGBTQ+ rights. “Embarrassed? Yes and no,” he replied. “It doesn’t matter where I am, that community will always have my support. I’m a footballer, that’s my job. I’m paid for playing football and I do it with pride. All my respect is there for [the LGBTQ+ community].”
Griezmann had earlier joked that Kylian Mbappé was “irreproachable” after his glittering start to the tournament and insisted the 23-year-old has immersed himself into the France squad since they were crowned world champions in Russia four years ago. Mbappé is a contender for the Golden Boot after scoring three of France’s six goals before they face Poland on Sunday, hoping to advance to the quarter-finals and avoid a repeat of their last-16 exit at Euro 2020.
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“Kylian is not the same player or the same personality right now,” Griezmann said when asked about the differences between Mbappé at this World Cup and the last. “On top of that we see him a lot more in the group, in the training he’s a lot more present, he talks a lot, he is very important for us. Every gesture that he does on or off pitch is going to be closely watched by the journalists, by the fans, and by his teammates too. He is irreproachable,” he added, smiling.
Griezmann said France need to guard against complacency after coming unstuck against Switzerland on penalties last year. “I think maybe we were a bit too relaxed against Switzerland,” he said. “We were leading 3-1 and we thought we had won. But in big competitions like that it is difficult, there is no easy opponent. Against Poland it is going to be the same. It is going to be complicated. We have to prepare well and nothing is guaranteed. I think we’re on the right path now.”
