A 1–0 win over Botafogo on Monday wasn't enough to secure a place in the last 16, as the Brazilian side advanced on goal difference. And while Atletico's frustration boiled over with complaints about refereeing and missed penalty calls, it was Antoine Griezmann who cut through the noise.

"We have to look at ourselves," the French forward said. "There are times when we are not at the level, and we have to resolve that."

Griezmann's words echo a growing truth in Madrid. Atletico are a team caught between eras - too proud to call it a rebuild, too flawed to compete at the highest level. The Club World Cup disappointment caps a season that began with promise but steadily unraveled: a controversial Champions League exit at the hands of rivals Real Madrid, a domestic title charge that fizzled after Christmas, and a Copa del Rey campaign that ended in the semifinals.

Coach Diego Simeone, who has led the club since 2011 and brought unprecedented success, has struggled to evolve a side that once thrived on grit and counterattack. Now, the blueprint feels dated, the players less hungry, the margins thinner.

"We're trying to keep improving, to get closer to the teams above us," Simeone said post-match. But after a 4–0 drubbing by PSG to open the tournament - a game that starkly highlighted the gulf between Atletico and Europe's elite - it's clear that gap is growing.

Some players, like Griezmann and goalkeeper Jan Oblak, seem to understand the urgency. Others are still pointing fingers. Giuliano Simeone, the coach's son and a winger for the squad, voiced frustration with officiating: "I've never seen anything like it. We should have had two penalties."

The sentiment was echoed by Marcos Llorente: "We'll keep rattling the cages of those at the top."

But rhetoric and resolve are not the same. Atletico's last major trophy came in 2021 with their LaLiga title. Since then, the club has struggled to maintain its identity, and now questions are mounting - not just about the players, but about Simeone himself.

With Flamengo's Filipe Luis - a former Atletico stalwart - quietly linked as a future successor, the narrative is shifting. The loyalty to Simeone remains strong, but results speak louder. Six points from three games at the Club World Cup would normally be enough - but not when one of them is a 4–0 loss.

Griezmann, who ended an 18-game scoring drought in Pasadena, knows the fix won't come from blaming officials.

"It takes work," he said. "It's a problem that's deeper, within the team. We have to focus on what we have to improve, on what we have to do to win these games."

With the season over and the trophy cabinet untouched again, Atletico are heading into the summer with more questions than answers. A new cycle may be coming - whether the club is ready to embrace it is another matter entirely.

Antoine Griezmann calls for accountability at Atletico Madrid after Club World Cup exit