Griezmann's France future not in doubt: Deschamps speaks on player Barca poor form

Out-of-form Antoine Griezmann is not in danger of losing his place in the France squad, insists his national boss Didier Deschamps.

Griezmann has scored just six times in LaLiga this season and has failed to find the back of the net in his last eight games - bringing about concerns for future with Les Bleus as the Euros approach this summer.

But Deschamp is confident that the 29-year-old is simply going through a sticky patch of form and backed him to get back to his best soon - insisting it would be 'indecent' to question his place in the France team.

'He may not be going through his prime, but that does not question his level. It would be indecent to question his presence in the national team,' Deschamps told beIN Sports, as reported by AS.

Griezmann has not managed to show the best of his talents since joining Barcelona for £107million in 2019 - often criticised for his displays and regularly linked with a move away from the Nou Camp.

There were big hopes he could form a partnership with Lionel Messi and take Barca to the next level, but he managed only nine goals in LaLiga last season - with fans yet to see the Griezmann that netted 133 times for Atletico.

Deschamps compared Griezmann's predicament with Manchester United's Paul Pogba, saying the midfielder had been struggling to produce his best form at Old Trafford before a spell with France sparked a turnaround. He believes staying with the team can have the same effect on the forward.

'In November, Paul [Pogba] was going through an even more difficult period with Manchester United. Being with us gave him a boost and he did a great game against Portugal. Antoine's case is the same, it's a matter of trust.'

The World Cup-winning coach - who has been in charge for nine years - says he will continue to back his star players even when they go through bad spells of form - but stressed they must keep working hard to compete.

'They know that in the France team they are in a different environment,' he added. 'All the players can go through a bad period at their club, but I maintain the confidence I have in them.'

'The players must bear in mind that there is competition. If at some point I think that a young man has less experience but can bring something more to the team, I will not hesitate to count on him.'

Griezmann has won 86 caps for France since being handed his first by Deschamps back in 2014. Since then he's netted 33 times on the international stage - playing a key role in helping the team win the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

He scored four times at the tournament, including in the final as France beat Croatia 4-2 to lift the trophy for the second time.