Olivier Giroud reckons he is getting better like a fine wine - as he leads France’s bid to win back-to-back World Cups.
At 36, the former Arsenal and Chelsea forward should be winding down his playing career, plotting his retirement plan and settling for an easier, less demanding playing environment.
But Giroud is going from strength to strength, plundering three goals in Qatar and having formed a devastating understanding with Kylian Mbappe, which has taken France through to the quarter-finals.
His 52nd international goal, in France’s 3-1 last 16 win over Poland, took Giroud out on his own, past Thierry Henry, as his country’s all-time leading scorer and confirmed his enduring worth, despite the onset of age.
Had Karim Benzema not been ruled out of the World Cup through injury on the eve of the tournament, Giroud would have been a squad player in Qatar, used by Didier Deschamps sparingly.
Instead, he is spearheading France’s attack and proving his enduring quality, with the AC Milan forward convinced he is getting better with age - with England’s defenders next in his sights.
“Am I getting better, like a fine wine?” said Giroud, after France’s win over Poland. “A lot of friends said the same about that. It’s funny, I feel good, physically, and I still have the motivation to play at the best level.
“As long as my body allows me I will carry on, because I’m a competitor and I’m enjoying the game and this team so much. It’s such an honour to represent France, I will carry on. I don’t know until when, I don’t want to put any limits on it.”
Giroud’s opener in France’s 3-1 win over Poland typified his understanding with Mbappe, the young sensation playing him in with a perfectly-weighted pass, the veteran applying the finishing touch.
And it was Giroud’s clever run, opening up space and taking defenders away, that enabled Mbappe to make it 2-0, before the 22-year-old added another stunning strike for good measure.
“I really wanted to score this goal,” said Giroud. “Kylian made nice crosses at the beginning of the game, but I was just a little bit behind. I was relieved after the goal. He gave me a good pass and I finished the job well. So it was a big relief.”
Although delighted to become France’s all-time leading goalscorer, Giroud admitted it was weight off his shoulders, after so much talk about whether he could surpass Henry’s total. “We can move on and forget about this, because so many people were talking about it,” said Giroud. “Now it’s done, it’s a good thing.
“The most important thing is to score more goals to help the team reach our target, which is to take games step by step and go as far as we can.
France skipper Hugo Lloris, who also set a record against Poland, overtaking Lilian Thurham as France’s most capped player with his 142nd appearance, paid tribute to Giroud’s longevity.
“Olivier is a great leader, a great example for the young generation,” said Lloris. “We have a lot of young players in the team and he’s an example.
“It doesn’t matter in your career if you have ups and downs, the most important thing is to stay consistent and strong in your mind in important moments and never give up.
“This is something Olivier did during his career and he’s rewarded. But I know Olivier and for sure he doesn’t want to stay at this number. He wants to add a few more. Hopefully he will help the team go further.”
