Frenkie de Jong Ajax Real MadridGetty

Griezmann names de Jong as best player he's played against

Antoine Griezmann says Frenkie de Jong is the best player he's played against while also naming Diego Costa as his favourite team-mate to play with.

Griezmann and France took on de Jong and the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League group stages as the two sides faced off twice in the competition.

Those matches clearly impressed Griezmann, who says de Jong, who will join Barcelona this summer, proved to be the most difficult opponent he's faced in his career.

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"I would say de Jong from Ajax Amsterdam," Griezmann told Oh My Goal when asked about his most difficult opponent, "because I tried to put pressure on him and never succeeded."

When asked who the greatest player of all time is, though, de Jong predictably did not make Griezmann's list. 

Rather, the French star stuck with the two typical answers of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo while also paying respects to legends like Pele, Diego Maradona and Zinedine Zidane. 

"Best player of all time? Well you know it depends on the era but I would say Messi or Cristiano," he said.

"I never saw how Pele or Maradona played. It's a tough question. Everyone has their own style.

"There's also Zidane. Zidane won the World Cup. Messi and Ronaldo never have."

As for his favourite team-mate, Griezmann pointed to Costa, who rejoined Atletico last year and instantly became a top partner for his French team-mate.

But it isn't the goals that Griezmann praises, but rather Costa's attitude and commitment that gets the most out of his fellow players.

"I would say Diego Costa for the support he gives me on the field. He allows me to play so freely," Griezmann said.

"He's a guy I work really well with on the pitch. We understand each other with a single look, we know where we're both at.

"On top of that, he's a fighter, and he brings that out in me, which I love. It's rare to have that with a teammate."

Griezmann also stated that he feels more stress playing Fortnite than when alone in front of goal.

Griezmann and Atletico Madrid are back in action on Sunday against the forward's former club, Real Sociedad.

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