Returning to the Blues after his absence during the June rally, Olivier Giroud savored, Thursday, September 22, during the match between France and Austria (2-0), the ovation of the Stade de France when he left the ground. Already during the announcement of the team compositions, the voice of the people had spoken by cheering the striker of the Blues. All under the eyes of a Didier Deschamps who continues to maintain doubts about the presence of the striker in Qatar, for the World Cup (November 20-December 18).
“If I put it on, it’s to be good and score goals. May he continue to perform well. I will have time to think before making my decisions“, launched the tricolor coach, after the victory against Austria, about the international striker. If he is not yet completely conquered, the public is and some executives of the France team too. .
The former Montpellier player thus received strong support on Saturday, September 24, on the eve of the match against Denmark. That of Raphaël Varane, vice-captain of the Blues: “He is obviously a very important player for the group, he brings his experience, his calm and his desire. (…) He is appreciated and respected. We want to see him as often as possible with the blue jersey.“After the match against Austria on Thursday, it was another heavyweight, Kylian Mbappé, who saluted Giroud’s performance,”one more” for the France team, according to the Paris Saint-Germain striker.
On the pitch, Giroud has indeed been inspired: the AC Milan striker has scored, is now two goals away from Thierry Henry’s goalscoring record in the France team (51 goals) and has become the most old in the history of the Blues – he will celebrate his 36th birthday on September 30 -. Also decisive passer for Kylian Mbappé, Giroud made Giroud, weighing all his length on the opposing defense.
Asked for the umpteenth time about the Giroud case, on Saturday, the coach first smiled, before responding mischievously: “He has a lot of support and so much the better because he deserves it. (…) It is up to him to maintain his level of performance, I know what he is capable of doing.” A positive speech from a sporting point of view, but between the lines, Giroud despairs of finding the assurance of seeing Qatar in November.
35a & 357j – Thanks to his goal against Austria, Olivier Giroud becomes this evening, at 35 years and 357 days, the oldest scorer in the history of the French team, overtaking Roger Marche (35 years and 287 days in December 1959 against Spain). Briscard. #FRAAUT pic.twitter.com/0u5ORYB3I8
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) September 22, 2022
Present intermittently with the Blues since Euro 2021, the striker is surfing on a series of three goals in his last three games with the tricolor jersey. AC Milan executive, Giroud enjoys a lot of playing time with the reigning Italian champions, when Deschamps reproached him, at the time when he was an indisputable part of the France group, for not having enough time. playing at Arsenal or Chelsea.
However, the coach remains unclear about his future, with the primary question of his status with the Blues. Holder for several years in the France team, Giroud had to give way to Karim Benzema when the latter returned in May 2021. A downgrading necessarily difficult to live with even if the cohabitation between the two attackers, who no longer have been selected at the same time since the Euro, did not create a particular stir among the Blues.
But an episode may continue to spin in Deschamps’ head. These awkward words – “we go shopping but the balloons don’t arrive” – by Giroud, after the friendly match against Bulgaria (3-0), just before the start of the Euro. A spade launched against Mbappé, who had weakened the tricolor building a few days before the start of the competition.
Is Deschamps afraid of confining Giroud to a super-sub role in Qatar, potentially destabilizing for the rest of the group? In his media tour of the week, Giroud defended himself regarding his role within the workforce. “Even being on the bench, I always shot in the direction of the team. I never put the souk in a locker room“, he declared on M6, before revealing to RTL to have discussed it with his coach: “We brought up this subject and I told him that whatever role I had, I would be 200% behind the team, without any qualms.“
As Giroud bangs on the door, Deschamps has yet to publicly announce whether he will open the door for him. “Between saying and doing, there is a journey that is not impossible. I’m not saying it’s not possible, but it will be part of my future thoughts“, had launched the coach on the eve of the match against Austria. Until the announcement of the list, it remains only to try to decipher the speech of Deschamps, which applies during each press blow hot and cold.
Meanwhile, Giroud nibbles the crumbs. And the observers of the Blues interpret the smallest facts and gestures. Like this clue from Deschamps’ latest list: in the absence of Benzema, the coach preferred to summon Giroud rather than Wissam Ben Yedder, a discreet replacement who has been present on all lists for almost two years.
The sign that the door may finally be opening for Giroud. Behind her are the golden benches of Qatar’s stadiums, ready for him to occupy. There is no doubt that the AC Milan striker would like it. At 36, he would then participate in his third World Cup, and could thus become the oldest player in the history of the France team to play a World Cup match.