Virginie Phulpin, edited by Thibault Nadal
modified to
2:36 p.m., September 23, 2022
Established at the forefront of the attack of the Blues this Thursday evening against Austria (2-0), Olivier Giroud again shone by being a scorer and at the origin of the vast majority of the actions of the Blues. An XXL performance which brings him closer to Thierry Henry’s selection goals record, and perhaps also a place in the list for the next World Cup.
Again scorer this Thursday evening, Olivier Giroud revived the debate: should he be present in the list of Didier Deschamps for the next World Cup? Listening to the French supporters present Thursday evening at the Stade de France and the reactions this Friday, it’s a big yes. But only Didier Deschamps has the hand. “Did I tell you that he would be there or that he wouldn’t be there? Neither,” the coach said at a press conference.
“He does everything to make sure he is there”
“We will have to wait until November, but he is doing everything to make sure he is there. Good for what he has done. I know he is appreciated by the public. I will have time to think before making my decisions,” he continued. The situation is simple: since the end of Euro 2021, Olivier Giroud has only been selected if Karim Benzema is absent.
For a year, Didier Deschamps has been saying the same thing: a player with an important status in the past is not able, according to him, to play a secondary role and can harm the state of mind of the group. But with these recent performances, which will have to be confirmed on Sunday in Denmark, Olivier Giroud has relaunched the debate, the answer to which will be known in early November.