'Should have won a Ballon d'Or!' - Antoine Griezmann bags 100th Atletico Madrid assist in final home game before MLS transfer as Jan Oblak leads tributes

Making his monumental 500th appearance for the club, the 35-year-old provided the decisive pass for Ademola Lookman in the 21st minute to secure a 1-0 victory over Girona in Atletico's penultimate La Liga game of the campaign. This delicately weighted ball marked his 100th assist in the famous red and white shirt, complementing his staggering 212 goals. Although teammates Thiago Almada and Marc Pubill desperately tried to set him up for a farewell goal late in the match, the fairy-tale strike remained elusive for the legendary forward, but he still received a memorable send-off at the Metropolitano, with a special post-match ceremony arranged for the World Cup winner.

Long-time team-mate Oblak was among the first to highlight the immense impact Griezmann has had with Atletico. The Slovenian goalkeeper did not hold back in his assessment. Speaking to reporters, he declared: "I am happy to have been able to enjoy these years with him. He should have won a Ballon d'Or. He still has many years left in the United States."

The talismanic forward's imminent departure to Orlando City on a free transfer marks the end of a legendary era. He initially joined Atletico from Real Sociedad in 2014 for €54 million, quickly establishing himself as a global star. Following a high-profile €120m transfer to Barcelona in 2019, he returned to Diego Simeone's side on loan in 2021 before sealing a permanent €22m move back home. Griezmann helped Atletico win the Europa League, the Spanish Super Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup across his two spells at the club.

Looking ahead, Atletico Madrid will travel to face Villarreal next Sunday in a decisive battle for third place. Meanwhile, Girona face a devastating relegation fight. Currently sitting 18th with 40 points, Michel's team need a home victory against Elche to leapfrog their rivals and survive the drop to the Segunda Division.