Back in March in the absence of Karim Benzema, the Milan AC striker was left out for the four Nations League games. Perhaps a sign in anticipation of the World Cup.
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Olivier Giroud will not have the opportunity to get closer Thierry Henry goals record in the French team (51). The 48 goals striker in 112 selections is not in fact in the list given Thursday, May 19 by Didier Deschamps for the four games of the Blues in the Qualifying framework of the League of Nations (from June 3 to 13).
In March, the AC Milan player took advantage of Karim Benzema’s injury to return to the group and register two goals against South Africa (5-0) and Côte d’Ivoire (2- 0). As always in his career, Giroud had refused the evidence. Namely that of its supposed downgrading at the end of Euro 2021 for the benefit of the Benzema-Mbappé duo.
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The Madrid then touched on a calf, Didier Deschamps had nevertheless surprised by recalling the 35 -year -old striker. “I know very well what Olivier is capable of,” he said at the time. Mark goals and occupy a register of his own in selection, that of the classic center-center strong in the last meters and precious by his aerial play. “Olivier has a history in the French team, it is not just anyone,” recalled his captain – and friend – Hugo Lloris.
His qualities, Olivier Giroud did not lose them in two months. How then to explain the coach’s decision? Asked about it at a press conference, the latter highlighted his desire “to offer other offensive players to get into and have more playing time”. Good news for Wissam Ben Yedder and Christopher Nkunku in particular.
A matter of status?
But relaunched on the concomitance between the absence of Giroud and the return of Benzema, the boss of the Blues saw red: “You did not listen to me? I already explained myself during the last rally.” A l l ‘period, he had offered a long digression on the particular status of Olivier Giroud. “It is always the great difficulty of having a player who has a status, who has deserved it … if he does not have this same status and that he is still there, it is difficult to live. For Do not say impossible. It is human, conceded Didier Deschamps at the start of the spring rally. When you are used to having 100, if you have to be satisfied with 40 … “
Translation: During the almost six years of sidelining Karim Benzema, Giroud was an indisputable holder, an executive of the team and the locker room. Not easy to make a natural (and docile?) Replacement when Wissam Ben Yedder finds nothing to complain about his low playing time.
Before the Euro, Giroud had caused a mini-psychodrama after having considered a bad serv I during a preparation match against Bulgaria (3-0) . Officially, the episode is forgotten by the coach and a Kylian Mbappé targeted by the media outing. If Didier Deschamps leaves journalists “hasty interpretations” to journalists, this absence suggests that Olivier Giroud will see Qatar and the World Cup (from November 21 to December 18), only in the event of a Benzema or Mbappé package.
The answer may also be in the feet of the Milanese competitors. If Wissam Ben Yedder, Christopher Nkunku or why not Moussa Diaby score points with the coach in the four games against Austria, Denmark and Croatia (twice), Giroud is undoubtedly unlikely to play a third world after Those of 2014 and 2018. And Thierry Henry can be quiet – for a time – for his record.