Oblak says Griezmann 'should have won the Ballon d'Or'
Antoine Griezmann is "spectacular" and "should have won a Ballon d'Or", Jan Oblak said of his departing Atletico Madrid team-mate.
Griezmann played his final home match for Atleti, setting up the winner for Ademola Lookman in the 1-0 win over Girona.
The 35 year-old, who will join MLS side Orlando City when his contract expires, was presented with a commemorative shirt prior to the game by long-standing team-mates Oblak, Koke and Jose Gimenez.
Griezmann is set to depart as Atletico's all-time leading scorer, with 212 goals from 500 appearances in all competitions across two spells.
The attacking midfielder helped Los Rojiblancos reach the Champions League final in 2016 – the same year he top-scored for France as they reached the European Championship final, losing to Portugal.
Griezmann also won the World Cup with Les Bleus in 2018, shortly after he was part of Atletico's Europa League-winning side.
His exploits in both years saw him finish third in the Ballon d'Or voting, behind Cristiano Ronaldo in 2016 and Luka Modric in 2018, but Oblak believes his departing team-mate should have scooped the top award.
"I'm grateful and proud to have been able to spend so much time with him," the goalkeeper said. "To enjoy his football and his magic. He's spectacular and should have won a Ballon d'Or.
"I'm happy with his career. He still has years left in the USA, where they'll enjoy watching him play.
"[Before the game, I told him] to enjoy the game, to experience it as if it were his last, which it was at home with this shirt."
Oblak, who has made 538 appearances for Atletico since joining the club from Benfica in 2014, is uncertain about his own future, as his existing deal is due to expire in June 2028.
"You never know what's going to happen in the future," the goalkeeper added. "I have a contract, but the summer is always long."
