FILE PHOTO - Soccer Football - Champions League - Chelsea vs Atletico Madrid - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - December 5, 2017 Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann applauds the fans at the end of the match REUTERS/Toby Melville

MADRID (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann apologised on Sunday after receiving criticism on social media for posting a picture of himself on his official Twitter account dressed as a Harlem Globetrotter, covered in black paint and wearing a wig.

The France international, who used the caption ‘80’s party’ to accompany the picture, responded to the criticism with another post saying: “Calm down my friends, I’m a fan of Harlem Globetrotters and that beautiful era, this is a tribute.”

Griezmann, a passionate basketball fan who has travelled to the United States to watch NBA games, later issued a third tweet saying: “I recognise that this was clumsy from me. If I offended anyone, I apologise.”

He then deleted the image from his account and the second post defending it.