Derby strike makes Griezmann Atleti’s top scorer
Antoine Griezmann became Atletico Madrid‘s all-time leading goalscorer on Wednesday, scoring with a brilliant finish for his team’s second goal against Real Madrid to overtake club legend Luis Aragones.
Atletico and Real were playing in the semifinals of the Spanish Supercopa at Saudi Arabia’s Al Awal Park at King Saud University in Riyadh and Griezmann netted his 174th goal for Los Rojiblancos to draw his side level with their derby rivals before the break.
“It’s something incredible for me,” Griezmann said after the match. “I’m proud, there were a lot of emotions at half-time. But I’ll keep working and improving.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s side went on to win a thrilling game 5-3 in extra time to set up a weekend final against the winner of Thursday’s match between Barcelona and Osasuna.
The France international had drawn level with Aragones — who spent a decade at Atletico as a player between 1964 and 1974 and set a record which stood for almost 50 years — by scoring twice in Atletico’s 3-3 draw with Getafe in December, matching his 173 goals for the club.
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Griezmann’s goals have come in two spells at Atletico — the first was between 2014 and 2019 and the second began in 2021, following a two year stint at Barcelona.
“Time will tell if I’m a legend, if I stay in people’s minds for years, the way Luis Aragones has,” Griezmann told ESPN in December.
“Let’s hope so, because he’s someone very important in the history of the club. I hope I can reach that level.”
The forward has played 368 games for Atletico in all competitions, two fewer than Aragones’ 370 appearances.
“[Griezmann] is an extraordinary footballer and an ideal person for a team like Atletico Madrid,” coach Diego Simeone said before LaLiga’s Christmas break.
“Luis [Aragones] was with him when he took that penalty [against Getafe], accompanying one of the best players in Atletico Madrid’s history, which Griezmann is. They’re incredible numbers, he deserves it.”
Griezmann signed for Atletico from Real Sociedad in July 2014, and developed into a key player and one of LaLiga’s most reliable goalscorers.
He made a controversial, €120 million ($131.5m) move to Barcelona in the summer of 2019, before returning to Atletico two years later on an initial loan deal, which was made permanent last season.
Griezmann won the Europa League with Atletico in 2018 — the same year he won the World Cup with France — but has never won LaLiga, and was a Champions League runner-up in 2016.
The forward has been in the best form of his career this season, scoring 11 goals in 19 league appearances, and five goals in six Champions League games.
