Griezmann happy if France win World Cup ‘ugly’

istra — France forward Antoine Griezmann said on Friday winning the World Cup against Croatia on Sunday was more important than how his team do it.

Belgium’s players criticised the tactics France used in their 1-0 semifinal win as Didier Deschamps’ team sat deep and Samuel Umtiti’s headed goal came from a corner, but Griez- mann dismissed the criticism. “I don’t care. I want the star (on my shirt for World Cup winners). If I get that star, I don’t care about how we play,” the 27-year-old Atletico Madrid forward told a press conference.

Griezmann said he had changed the way he plays for France in order to benefit the team. He finished top scorer at Euro 2016 with six goals but France lost the final to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on home soil.

He has scored three goals in Russia, two from penalties and one largely thanks to a goalkeeping howler from Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera, but he has also contributed two assists. “I was top scorer but we lost, so I said to myself: ‘I am going to score less to see if we can win’.

“If I score, then that’s great, but I am more a player who thinks of the team than of scoring.”

After a slow start in Russia, France have picked up form. Their blend of experienced campaigners like Griezmann and Paul Pogba, and young stars like Kylian Mbappe and Benjamin Pavard, ensures they are the bookmakers’ favourites. —