In 1984, France announced themselves on the biggest stage of the football world; Michel Platini, arguably the best player on the planet at that time, spearheaded Les Bleus’ first major tournament win, lifting the European Championship trophy on home soil. That team, while built around Platini, were not defined by him; the other members of the ‘The Magic Square’, Jean Tigana, Luiz Fernandez, and Alain Giresse, were the perfect supporting cast. Two years later, they would inspire a third-place finish at the World Cup in Mexico, but their legacy would last much longer than perhaps first thought.
By the time the World Cup in 1998 rolled around, France were going strong again; off the back of the class of ’84, they headed into the tournament, once again as hosts, in confident mood. Zinedine Zidane, a world-class playmaker at Juventus, just like Platini, stepped into his shoes, and a strong defence was complemented by the pace and energy of youngsters Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka in attack. The new generation won another trophy, again in front of their own fans; Zidane scored two headers in the final against Brazil in Paris, before they followed it up with a victory in the final of Euro 2000 against Italy, this time courtesy of David Trezeguet’s Golden Goal. Their final chapter, six years later at the World Cup in Germany, saw the Azzurri exact revenge in another final, on penalties; Zidane was sent off for an infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi and Trezeguet missed a decisive spot-kick.
Again, though, the trail of inspiration continued and, rolling into Euro 2016, with France once again the hosts, there were signs of another potentially legendary era. Antoine Griezmann, the Atletico Madrid striker, was the star attraction, while Paul Pogba, fresh from a superb four-year stint at Juventus, was expected to shine. But while both of them, as well as Henry, Zidane, Platini, Tigana, Fernandez, Giresse, Anelka and Trezeguet, have been lauded throughout their careers, one man has shone on the international stage but failed to receive universal acclaim.
Olivier Giroud made history on Monday night, becoming the joint-fourth top scorer for his country. The Chelsea striker, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Arsenal for £18million in January, scored in a 2-0 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland to equal Zidane’s record of 31 international goals, but he did it 72 games as opposed to the 106 of the now Real Madrid manager. Giroud is just three behind Trezeguet, ten behind Platini and twenty behind Henry who, perhaps, is the only player who can understand how it feels to be underappreciated by his own people; but ask anyone in England about the former Arsenal hitman and he will be spoken of in glowing terms, both by Gunners fans and neutrals. Giroud has never received such adulation despite scoring 73 goals in 180 league games for Arsenal and crucial FA Cup goals in his fledgling Chelsea career, all after helping Montpellier to an unlikely Ligue 1 title, ahead of mega-rich Paris Saint-Germain, in 2012.
Portugal shocked France to spoil their party at the final hurdle two years ago, even with Griezmann in superb form. Six goals in the tournament, after an impressive season with Atletico, put him in the conversation for that year’s Ballon d’Or, but his strike partnership with Giroud played a huge part in his success. Perhaps that is his role, the supporting cast; not many strikers are as adept as him when it comes to link up play, his consistency in finding the net from the bench has made him a reliable option for Arsene Wenger and, since January, Antonio Conte. Didier Deschamps, his international boss, sees the best in him, though, and for all of the squad depth at his disposal, which meant he had to leave out Manchester United’s Anthony Martial and Alexandre Lacazette, the man who spelt the beginning of the end for Giroud at Arsenal, of his squad for this summer’s World Cup in Russia, he may well start the 31-year-old up front.
It seems inconceivable that Giroud won’t make fourth, or even third, on the list of France goalscorers his own in the coming weeks and months but, having never been seen as a protégé during his career, it is unlikely he will ever get the credit he deserves, even if he helps his country to a fourth major trophy this summer. Arsenal felt selling him was necessary in order to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the winter, and although he has impressed at Chelsea in recent months, he has carved out the same role he had at the Emirates Stadium; an impact player. Change is afoot for the Blues, Conte is likely to leave and they could be in the market for a new striker, but Giroud is not likely to get more responsibility next season.
Deciphering what makes a world-class striker is quite complicated, and Giroud has never been viewed as that despite consistently producing impressive numbers. There aren’t many better than him in the air, and he regularly finishes chances with style, but France have so many players in their squad who grab more attention; he seems just fine with that.
Platini et al drove France to success in ’84; it was Zidane in ’98. Griezmann, Pogba, or the newest star of tomorrow, Kylian Mbappe, could be the star this summer, but any success Les Bleus achieve will have a lot to do with Olivier Giroud, perhaps the most unsung hero set to perform on the biggest stage in Russia, and his contribution shouldn’t be understated.
