The loss of a player of the calibre of Karim Benzema, winner of the Ballon d'Or in 2022, would spell disaster for most football teams. However, France has a stalwart striker who has already proven on multiple occasions that he is more than capable of picking up the slack.
Oliver Giroud, 36, is probably one of the most criminally underrated players in the world. Criticism seems to follow him wherever he goes, whether it be that he is too slow or that he does not score enough goals. When you consider that he has won the Italian league with AC Milan, Champion's League with Chelsea, several FA Cups with both Arsenal as well as Chelsea, and the World Cup in 2018, the criticism seems nothing short of ridiculous.
Whatever criticism you hear about Giroud, it never comes from his teammates, coaches, or opponents. France coach Didier Deschamps has nothing but praise for Giroud, while Netherlands and Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk, who has been tipped as one of the best defenders in the world in recent years, picked Giroud as the player who gives him the most trouble.
In an interview with former Manchester United player Gary Neville, Van Dijk recalled how he once thought he had Grioud in his pocket for an entire game, but the Frenchman managed to score a scrappy goal at the last moment.
“How do you always score against me,” Van Dijk recalls asking Giroud.
The nature of that goal, which came in a comfortable victory for Liverpool over Arsenal, highlights one Giroud's best qualities: determination. Top strikers tend to continue making runs into the box and gambling on mistakes from defenders regardless of the match situation, and Giroud does not know the meaning of the word “Quit.”
Furthermore, a common misconception about Giroud is that he is only good at headers, but this is a drastic oversimplification. While he is indeed tall and strong in the air, Giroud has an uncanny knack of finding his teammates with both his head and his feet. This passing ability combined with his stellar hold-up play ensures that his teammates always have plenty of time to join in the attack and overwhelm defenders with numbers.
This ability to bring his teammates into the game was fully on display during the 2018 World Cup. Giroud did not score a single goal throughout the tournament but proved to be a vital cog in the machine as France lifted the trophy.
Giroud's skill is not limited to passing either. From bicycle and scorpion kicks to headers, the man has scored just about every type of goal.
Benzema will no doubt be missed by France fans as he is a top-quality striker. However, Giroud's unselfish play and knack to score and create goals in big moments ensures that the team is in safe hands.