Updated December 18, 2017 12:45:53

Photo: France star Antoine Griezmann sparked a social media backlash with his costume. (Supplied: Twitter)

Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann has apologised after posting an image of himself in blackface as part of a fancy dress party costume.

Griezmann had his face and limbs painted black and was also wearing a wig and holding a basketball in the photo.

The photo on his official Twitter account, which has 4.79 million followers, was accompanied by the message "80's Party" followed by basketball and laughing emojis.

Photo: Griezmann has been linked to a $150 million move to Barcelona. (AP: Paul White)

One response called the photo a "bad idea" with others urging the France forward to delete the tweet.

Griezmann at first reacted to the criticism by tweeting: "Calm down friends, I'm a fan of the Harlem Globetrotters and of this great era... It's a tribute."

He later tweeted an apology to those he had offended.

"I recognise that's it's insensitive on my part. If I offended some people I'm sorry," he wrote.

Many on Twitter spoke out against 26-year-old, who has been linked to a $150 million move to Barcelona and has also been linked with Manchester United.

AP

Topics: soccer, france-soccer, sport, spain-soccer, spain, france

First posted December 18, 2017 12:21:41