Reigning world champions France began their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with a crushing 4-1 win over Australia in Qatar on matchday three.
AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud struck a brace to elevate himself into the record books as further goals from Adrien Rabiot and Kylian Mbappe sealed a convincing win for Les Bleus.
Didier Deschamps’s men, however, began the evening on the back foot after Craig Goodwin gave the Australians a ninth-minute lead.
But Adrien Rabiot equalised for France barely twenty minutes later before Olivier Giroud handed the defending champions the lead just past the hour mark.
It was Giroud’s 50th goal in the Blue colours, becoming only the second player in history – after Arsenal icon Thierry Henry (51 goals) – to net half-a-century goals for Les Bleus.
PSG forward Kylian Mbappe netted France’s third after the break before Giroud claimed his second of the evening to go level with Henry as France’s most prolific striker ever.
Giroud did not score a goal during the last edition of the World Cup, but he was instrumental as the French romped to their second world title in 2018.
At 36, Giroud is still doing great for AC Milan, having scored 22 goals in 55 appearances, winning the Serie A title.
Despite the veteran striker’s brilliance for club and country, he is still not regarded as one of football’s greats.
And this has drawn reactions from Nigerian Twitter users, with one tagging the former Arsenal man ‘an underrated player’.
Below are some Nigerians’ reactions to Giroud’s historical moment and the emphatic French victory over Australia.
Whenever Olivier Giroud scores, it makes me smile so much. I have so much love for Olivier Giroud man, such an underrated player.. pic.twitter.com/4xYYZ468I3
— badboy (@badboy_jeremy1) November 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/ojbsports/status/1595145171993497600
When you need a goal
— Naija (@Naija_PR) November 22, 2022
Call Giroud pic.twitter.com/z3LsLBDhG1
https://twitter.com/90sSophie/status/1595160968816111616
Good thing is that he can’t even use the ‘looks ‘ card on Olivier Giroud. https://t.co/eetzk5GK3U
— Ugbedeojo #MUFC (@Certifiedopeboi) November 22, 2022
With the win, France went straight to the top of Group D, following the drab draw played earlier in the day by their other group opponents, Tunisia and Denmark.