In just over a decade in the France team, Olivier Giroud has known everything: goals, criticism, world title, comeback, until equaling against Australia on Tuesday Thierry Henry in the ranking of scorers of the Blues, from the start. of his third World Cup. At 36, the stainless center-forward won the ultimate record in Qatar that he had been watching for several years: the 51 goals of his illustrious predecessor, like him on the side of Arsenal.
- His first selection: November 11, 2011, France – United States (1-0)
This November 11, 2011, Laurent Blanc is carrying out a staff review and wants to test the one he called for his profile “atypical in size, with a pivotal role”. Against the USA, the Montpellier player comes into play at the Stade de France for half an hour in place of Kévin Gameiro.
- His first goal: February 29, 2012, Germany – France (1-2)
For his first tenure, Giroud is decisive for the first time in the France team: he bends Germany in the 21st minute with a flat left foot, in Bremen.
- His first goal at the World Cup: June 20, 2014, Switzerland – France (2-5)
Mute in 2018, Olivier Giroud scored only one goal in 2014, during his first participation. Against the Swiss, the Arsenal player joins the party by opening the scoring with a header. Substitute in the quarter-final lost 1-0 against Germany, he played only five minutes.
- His recital: June 2, 2017, France – Paraguay (5-0)
Already a double scorer in March in Luxembourg (3-1), the striker continues in June in a friendly against Paraguay with a hat-trick, his only hat-trick in the France team.
- His bad memory: May 30, 2016, France – Cameroon (3-2)
During the announcement of the composition of the teams, his name is greeted by the whistles of certain spectators, a few days after the announcement of the list for the Euro, without Karim Benzema, his competitor caught up by “the affair of the sextape”. “I experienced it as an injustice”, he will say a few years later. “It took a long time for people to stop bothering me with that”.
- His fondest memory: July 15, 2018, France – Croatia (4-2)
Even if he does not score during the Russian World Cup, the center-forward lifts the most prestigious trophy of his career in Moscow: the 2018 World Cup. Holder during all the meetings from the second, he is not the star of the competition but Didier Deschamps underlines his essential role in the attacking balance of the team.
- His strongest statement: June 6, 2021, preparation for the Euro
Benzema is recalled to everyone’s surprise a few months after comparing Giroud to a “karting” with a less powerful engine than the “F1″ that he considers to represent, but the tall bearded man takes the situation with a smile, in a press conference: ” It will be my pleasure to enjoy with him if we win the Euro. I will invite him on a kart circuit and we will fight at the kart, that’s it!”. The Blues will be eliminated in the eighth.
- His communication hiccup: June 8, 2021, France – Bulgaria (3-0)
As he scored a late double, Giroud had to justify his lack of impact in the first hour of play. “I was discreet because sometimes we go shopping and the balls don’t arrive. do not always pretend to make the right calls, but I have tried to give solutions in the surface”, he answers to the chain The Team. Kylian Mbappé feels directly targeted and the two men must explain themselves. Since then, the relationship has calmed down.
- His room with Henry: March 2022
“Hello old man!”, Launches Thierry Henry in an interview with Prime Video, suggesting a great complicity between the two top blue scorers. “He treats me, +Titi+!”, replies Giroud in front of the microphones. “He gives me a little wink. I’ll do my best, but you’re still way ahead, my chicken.”
- His return to favor: November 9, 2022, announcement of the list
Sparkling in Milan, Giroud makes everyone agree, including his coach, who calls him for the World Cup, the striker’s third. Deschamps, however, cast doubt for a year, refusing to call him when Benzema was available. But “to adapt is not to contradict oneself”, pleads “DD”. “I have confidence in Olivier, on and off the pitch.”