• Olivier Giroud is France's all-time record scorer with 53 goals
• France have relied on the 36-year-old in Karim Benzema's absence
Like a phoenix, Olivier Giroud has risen from the ashes. And it all came down to a thigh injury. Without the quadriceps problem that ruled Karim Benzema out of this FIFA World Cup, who knows if Giroud would even have been on the plane to Qatar?
Anything but indispensable to the France team since UEFA EURO 2020, the AC Milan forward was brought back into the fold by Didier Deschamps and has now imposed himself as the focal point in attack. His quarter-final winning goal against England highlighted a remarkable renaissance.
Following Benzema's return to the France squad for EURO 2020, after a six-year absence, Giroud seemed to be no more than a back-up at best in Deschamps' thinking. So much so that the former Montpellier striker owes his recent appearances to the Madrid striker's injury problems.
But he has always risen to the occasion when called upon, as he proved with goals in games against Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa and Austria in the months leading up to the World Cup. Even so, his ticket to Qatar was not certain until the last minute, when Benzema was confirmed to be suffering a thigh injury.
Bringing balance to the team
Crowned an Italian champion in 2021/22, Giroud was decisive for Milan in both Serie A and the UEFA Champions League. He has been equally impressive for his club this term, with nine goals up to November. It meant he arrived at the tournament in good shape.
"I'll be 200 per cent ready to help the team and do my job on the pitch," he said during his first press conference in Doha. "My role is clear with the coach. As soon as he needs me, I'll try to bring something to the team as I've always done. But it's true that, at 36 years of age, to feel [in form] like this is a real gift."
Giroud swiftly came to France's rescue with two goals in their opening game against Australia, helping his side come from behind to prevail 4-1. Moreover, the shape of the team suddenly came into clearer focus, with Giroud excelling at the head of the attack, where his qualities meld well with the speed and dynamism of wingers Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, plus Antoine Griezmann's finesse as a provider.
In short, France's target man has brought balance to a side which had won just one of their six matches prior to the World Cup.
Leadership role
On a personal level, that double against Australia finally ended his World Cup drought, Giroud having not scored a single goal at Russia 2018 – echoing the contribution of Stephane Guivarc'h in 1998.
Happy to act as a 'big brother' to his younger team-mates behind the scenes, Giroud was now flourishing in front of goal too, and when he struck against Poland in the round of 16 he become France's all-time leading scorer ahead of Thierry Henry (52 goals). "This record reminds me of all the years that have gone by," he said afterwards. "Eleven years in the France team, with some very high highs and a few lower moments."
Giroud followed that up with another goal against England on a night which seemed to encapsulate his story. He had struggled to get into the game and Deschamps seemed poised to haul him off when, in the 78th minute, he got clear of Harry Maguire to head France into a 2-1 lead against the run of play
Not for the first time, Giroud's persistence had paid off. Expect him to play a key role once more when France face Morocco in their semi-final on Wednesday.
