What’s not to like about Olivier Giroud?
Ever the team player, he has also scored four goals in France’s march to semi-finals
The Formula One car had starting trouble but the go-kart is doing fine. The reference to racing was Karim Benzema’s, the inference ours. Stating that he was an F1 car, Benzema had compared Olivier Giroud to a go-kart. While Benzema was away, because of injury this time, Giroud broke Thierry Henry’s goal record for France and has taken them to a second successive semi-final.
Not often is a France goal not about Kylian Mbappe. Even Aurelien Tchouameni’s sumptuous strike had Mbape drawing three players to him and England couldn’t regain their defensive shape before the shot came from range. But when Giroud struck at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, the moment was about him. One that took France to two wins from being the first team to retain a World Cup since Brazil in 1962.
Having got across Harry Maguire and with Antoine Griezmann’s laser perfect delivery doing just enough to stay away from John Stones, Giroud headed home what turned out to be the matchwinner in the 78th minute. It was his fourth goal of the tournament. Between him and Mbappe, they have scored nine of France’s 11 goals so far.
Giroud spoke of the goal being “more beautiful” than the one that helped him break Henry’s record of 51 international strikes but also mentioned that the ball from “Grizi” was superb. “It’s impossible to describe how I felt afterwards.” He spoke of how Saturday’s game reminded him of the 2018 semi-final against Belgium, “when we all pulled together to preserve a lead.” After breaking Henry’s record, Giroud had spoken of realising a “childhood dream” but also about “solidarity and unity” critical to France’s success.
All typical Giroud. So what if he has won the World Cup, Champions League, leagues in Italy and France and FA Cups. Braggadocio, of the Richarlison kind after scoring against Serbia, and Giroud don’t make good partners. Unusual for strikers and targetmen, he is the team player, a drummer in the band, one who doesn’t shirk from making that unselfish run to take away a marker so that Mbappe can get an extra metre of space.
It is also why Didier Deschamps and Mbappe want him in the team. It is why he played nearly every minute of the 2018 campaign despite not having an attempt on target. “Four years ago he didn’t score but he was still an important player,” said Deschamps after France beat Poland 3-1. “He has had difficult periods in his career. He has often been criticised but people are now seeing his quality. He stayed strong mentally.”
He had to. Giroud was booed by French fans in 2016 in a friendly against Cameroon even though he had put Les Bleus 2-1 ahead in a game they won 3-2. At clubs and for country, Giroud has dealt with this with remarkable equanimity focusing instead on going about his job.
It can’t be easy but Giroud manages to find a way. Like in the second half of the 2019-20 when, from being a third-choice striker, his goals helped Chelsea make the Champions League. Like for AC Milan, who also want him to be an example to young players. Giroud also has nine goals and five assists this season, four goals and two assists coming in the Champions League.
And like now when Benzema’s injury meant he had to step in for what was his sixth major international competition. At 36, he is the oldest player since Roger Milla in 1990 to have scored in a World Cup knockout game.
Giroud has said he didn’t mind Benzema’s comparison, explaining in an interview to The Guardian that “he (Benzema) had to say something like that” given that it was at a social media thing and that it was “quite funny.” Ditto the spat with Mbappe during the Euros last year. It was dealt like adults should, said Giroud, referring to his statement that Mbappe does not pass the ball enough to him.
Mbappe has since said he would prefer Giroud to be the focal point of France’s attack. After France beat Australia in their opening game, Benjamin Pavard said: “When no one believed in Olivier, he always stood up and proved them wrong. He is selfless and gives so much to the team.”
Two goals against Australia and one each in the last two knockout rounds is proof. With Giroud though it is not always making the headlines.
