Antoine Griezmann reveals that he hasn't signed himself on Football Manager

Antoine Griezmann is a keen Football Manager player, but the Atletico Madrid forward hasn't signed himself this year, and there's a pretty good reason.

There's a great many of us who have spent a lot of hours pretending we're managing a football team, thanks to the wonderful people at Sports Interactive.

FM can lead people to become absolutely obsessed with the most unexpected of teams because, as anyone who's played it enough could tell you, they really become your team.

That explains why one Spanish man travelled to sixth tier Alfreton Town to watch them play on his stag do, and even got to be a mascot for the day.

Another guy travelled over 1,000 miles in order to watch a third tier side in Italy, and it's even been cited as the reason for a number of divorces.

All of us who love those interactive spreadsheets were dealt a massive blow when Laura Woods sh*t on our passion from a great height, but at least the community isn't alone, even footballers play.

Griezmann is one of the most high profile of players who dabble in a bit of FM, and he's confirmed that he's still playing this year, managing Bordeaux.

Speaking to ESPN, he explained that the French side's status in Ligue 2 has prevented him from signing himself, because he'd be too much money, or at least would have to drop his wages too much, and it's just not plausible.

Antoine Griezmann has probably played more @FootballManager than Will Still at this point 😅🎮 pic.twitter.com/gTB5lFY7wa

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) May 10, 2023

Certainly the ability to afford the France star nearly scuppered his season as a an actual player on a real football pitch for Atleti this year.

He moved back on loan to the club, from Barcelona, at the beginning of last season but a clause in the deal meant that Diego Simeone was under strict instructions not to start him.

Playing too often would have meant the team needing to splash big money on him to make his move back to the Wanda Metropolitano permanent.

The club from the Spanish capital couldn't afford that price so he kept coming on in the 60th minute, until a new agreement was made with Barca.

He was in stunning form for France at the World Cup, as well as his excellent campaign with his club, and helped them reach the final.

His future with the national team has been left in some doubt, however, after Didier Deschamps named Kylian Mbappe as the new captain, ahead of the man who'd been vice captain to Hugo Lloris.