Olivier Giroud makes his comeback. The AC Milan striker has been recalled to the France team to compensate for the package of injured Karim Benzema, the French Football Federation announced on Saturday.
France is due to face Ivory Coast in a friendly match on March 25 in Marseille and then South Africa on March 29 in Lille. Good news for Olivier Giroud, who has not worn the Blues jersey since the defeat on penalties against Switzerland in the round of 16 of the Euro, last June.
In 110 selections, the Milanese scored 46 goals, making him the second top scorer in the history of the French team, five goals behind Thierry Henry. He is the second most capped active player, behind goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (136). “Karim Benzema will not be able to participate in the two” friendly matches due to an injury “in the left calf” which occurred “on Monday against Mallorca”, indicated the FFF. The coach “Didier Deschamps has decided to replace him with Olivier Giroud”, added the Federation.
At 35, Giroud’s international career seemed to have come to an end, as a result of the return to grace of Karim Benzema, recalled for the Euro after several years of absence and falling out with Deschamps, and who has since displayed sparkling form with the Real as in selection.
But in an interview with Europe 1 which was to be broadcast on Saturday evening, the person concerned assured before his recall that he had not given up on the blue jersey. “I’m not talking about the France team in the past,” he said according to extracts from this interview published by the radio.
Arrived last summer in Milan after winning the Champions League with Chelsea, the striker is having a good season in Italy. He scored eleven goals, often decisive, including eight in the league, for the “Rossoneri”, current leaders.
“The France team is a common thread throughout your career. It’s still a bonus, it’s a gift, “he said in the interview with Europe 1.
“So if the coach calls me, I will answer present as I have always done. That’s why I never officially declared that I wanted to stop the France team, ”continues the player.