Olivier Giroud equals Thierry Henry’s goal record as France thumps Australia at World Cup

Based on how France played, Giroud’s got a serious Golden Boot chance

France steamrolled Australia at the World Cup on Tuesday, and Olivier Giroud used the occasion to make some history.

Giroud tied Thierry Henry’s record goal total for France’s men’s team, scoring his 50th and 51st goals as part of a 4-1 rout that pushed the defending World Cup champions atop Group D. The goals marked Giroud’s first at a World Cup since 2014, after France famously won the 2018 tournament without a single goal from a true striker.

Giroud wasn’t slated to start many games for France in Qatar, but a pre-tournament injury for Karim Benzema thrust the veteran back into the limelight. Fortunately for France fans, it looks like Giroud is ready for the occasion.

It wasn’t completely smooth sailing at first for Les Bleus. Australia took a 1-0 lead in the 9th minute after Craig Goodwin roofed Mathew Leckie’s low cross. The sequence leading to the goal came with more bad news for Didier Deschamps’ side, as Lucas Hernandez left the match with a serious-looking knee injury suffered while trying to track Leckie down.

For a few nervy minutes, it looked like Australia could repeat the day’s other upset, which saw Saudi Arabia knock off Argentina. France, after all, finished last in their group in 2002, just four years after winning their first-ever World Cup. Four of the last five defending champions have gone out in the group stage, including each of the last three.

France is apparently not interested in keeping that trend going. Adrien Rabiot got them level in the 27th minute, before Giroud scored his 50th international goal just five minutes later.

Few of them could be easier, after Rabiot forced a turnover that rolled to Kylian Mbappé. The PSG star backheeled the ball into Rabiot’s path, and with the Socceroos’ defense collapsing on the Juventus man, he shuttled the ball across to a wide-open Giroud to deposit past goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.

Australia had their chances to get level, but eventually their fatigue started to open up gaps, and France ruthlessly took advantage. Mbappé smashed an easy chance over the bar just before halftime, but he’d get his goal midway through the second half.

Looking truly imperious, Mbappé then went back to setting others up, sprinting past the Australian defense on the left flank. The resulting goal was classic Giroud: Mbappé’s curling cross was right where the AC Milan No. 9 needed it, and Giroud headed down past Ryan with authority.

Based on this display, it would be a shock if we’re not back here in a few days talking about how Giroud is now alone atop France’s all-time goalscoring chart. Best of luck to Denmark and Tunisia, who are the next teams faced with having to figure out how to slow this loaded French side down.

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