France’s second oldest World Cup player
At the age of 36, France’s new record goalscorer Olivier Giroud is apparently far from thinking about retiring. “I feel very good and at a good level,” said the AC Milan striker in Qatar on Tuesday. He continued: “I was once told that we were all 20 years old, the rest is experience. I really play like I’m 20. With the joy of a child. I’m hungry for goals and my body seems to take it.” At 36 years, two months and four days, Giroud is the second oldest Frenchman to have played at a World Cup.
Thanks to three tournament goals at the World Cup, Giroud has replaced former world-class forward Thierry Henry with 52 goals in the national shirt as the record scorer at the defending champions. And that after an unusual career in which he also had to take a lot of criticism and even ridicule. “I only joined the national team when I was 25,” stressed Giroud, who said: “If I can be an example for those who have an atypical career, it would make me proud. In any case, my example shows young people that in a career you have to be patient.”
Giroud now sole leader: France’s record goalscorers
However, this does not apply to his congenial offensive partner Kylian Mbappé, who has already scored five times in Qatar. “He’s the best striker I’ve ever played with,” Giroud said of the PSG pro, who is the most valuable player in the World Cup finals with a market value of 160 million euros. And further: “And it’s scary, but he can still improve. He’s still young. I think we haven’t seen his best yet. He can break all records. I know he will definitely break mine.”
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