Antoine Griezmann Gutted After Finding out He Won’t Be Able to See Joe Burrow in Spain

The Bengals are scheduled to travel to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, in week 9 and play against the Atlanta Falcons.

Antoine Griezmann Gutted After Finding out He Won’t Be Able to See Joe Burrow in Spain

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and French soccer star Antoine Griezmann (Image via IMAGO/X)

2026 is a big year for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals aim to rediscover their winning formula and return to the playoffs after a three-year hiatus.

On their road to redemption, the Bengals are scheduled to travel to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, in week 9 and play against the Atlanta Falcons. This will mark the second year in a row the famous stadium will play host to an NFL game, after last year’s frantic showdown between the Washington Commanders and the Miami Dolphins.

French International soccer star Antoine Griezmann, who spent his entire playing career representing Spanish teams, Real Sociedad, Atlético Madrid, and Barcelona, won’t be present to watch the Bengals-Falcons game, despite being an avid fan of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

Sleeper Bengals uploaded a video where Griezmann discovers that the Bengals and Falcons will play in Madrid on November 8. He displayed a glimpse of his NFL knowledge by naming the three players he would have loved watching live: Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, and, of course, Burrow.

Amazing game. It hurts me a lot because I won’t be there.

Griezmann expressed disappointment

Griezmann won’t be able to attend the game in November because the 35-year-old forward is leaving the Madrid club at the end of the current season. According to Fabrizio Romano, Griezmann is moving to Florida, specifically to Orlando, as he signed a two-year contract with Major League Soccer team Orlando City FC. The move will be completed once the July transfer window opens.

Last year, the Commanders and the Dolphins game needed overtime to decide the outcome. Amidst an attendance of roughly 80,000 spectators, the Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to force OT. Miami kicker Riley Patterson’s 29-yard field goal sealed a 16-13 victory for the AFC side.

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Joe Burrow shares his views on the Bengals playing an NFL game in Spain

Burrow has established himself as one of the biggest stars in football. He’s among the few who have defeated three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs in a playoff game.

Antoine Griezmann Gutted After Finding out He Won't Be Able to See Joe Burrow in Spain
Joe Burrow (Image via IMAGO)

Burrow is a two-time comeback player of the year and one of the highest-earning quarterbacks in the game’s history. So, sending him, Chase, and Tee Higgins to Spain is a smart move from the brass.

The 29-year-old embraced the chance to represent the NFL overseas. However, it also placed a significant burden on him to increase the sport’s popularity. Speaking with Bengals beat writer Geoff Hobson, Joey B. compared the NFL’s attempts at global outreach to the boom of the NBA basketball in the 80’s and the 90’s.

The game has a lot of room to grow. Just like basketball did in the ’80s and ’90s. The [Chicago] Bulls kind of spearheaded that. Made it global, and hopefully the Bengals can do the same thing over the next couple of years for the NFL.

Burrow said

Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls quickly became a popular name beyond the US borders. Emulating Jordan is not an easy task. For Burrow to walk in the same path as the Hall of Famer, he must win a ring or two.

According to Ben Fawkes of Yahoo Sports, the Bengals have 25-1 odds to win the 2026-27 Super Bowl in Los Angeles next February. Cincinnati shares the same odds as the Chicago Bears, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The defending Super Bowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks, boast the best odds to go back-to-back at +800, followed by the Los Angeles Rams at +900.

List of 2026 NFL International games

The Bengals and Falcons aren’t the only teams that are set to feature in games abroad. Adam Schefter from ESPN has shared the full lineup of teams, along with the dates and venues for the international fixtures.

List 2026 International NFL Games:

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