France honour record goalscorer Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud was honoured by France for his immense contributions to the national team ahead of their UEFA Nations League match against Croatia on Sunday at the Stade de France.

The 38-year-old was part of the French squad that triumphed in the 2018 World Cup and has scored 57 goals for Les Bleus.

His remarkable performance in the 2022 World Cup saw him net four goals, helping France reach the final in Qatar.

Initially not expected to feature heavily in the 2022 tournament, Giroud only started after Karim Benzema, 37, was ruled out with an injury.

Born in Chambéry, Giroud made his international debut under France’s former manager Laurent Blanc in November 2011 during a friendly against the United States.

He scored his first international goal in a 2-1 friendly victory over Germany on February 29, 2012.

A former FA Cup winner with Arsenal and a UEFA Champions League and Europa League winner with Chelsea, Giroud had three goals during France’s runner-up finish at the 2016 UEFA European Championship.

The 38-year-old was part of the French squad that triumphed in the 2018 World Cup

The Ligue 1 top scorer in 2011-12, Giroud scored his final goal for France during a 3-2 friendly win over Chile in Marseille in 2024. His last appearance for Les Bleus came in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 when he came on as a substitute in their 2-1 loss to eventual champions Spain.

In 2018, Giroud was awarded France’s prestigious Legion of Honour after helping the nation claim their second World Cup title. Throughout his career, he made 137 appearances for France across all competitions.

France manager Didier Deschamps paid tribute to Olivier Giroud.

“His longevity speaks for itself. That is his merit. What I remember first is his visceral attachment to the blue jersey. Like me, he always placed the French team above everything, even when he had less happy periods,” said Deschamps.