Last week, the N.9 of AC Milan brooded over his spleen to see his name once again omitted by coach Didier Deschamps when the March list was announced, yet another disappointment for the native of Chambéry, absent from the Blues since the Euro, at the end of June 2021, despite a full club season.

At the Vélodrome stadium eight days later, it was the former Montpellier striker that the supporters celebrated!

In just a few days, Giroud managed to straighten out a rickety status in the selection, to the benefit of a succession of favorable events.

Karim Benzema's left calf injury opened a jump seat in the 23?

"Olive" rushed into the breach, recalled by the coach at the end of the weekend.

An ENT infection decreases Kylian Mbappé on the eve of the friendly match in Marseille?

The Milanese did not ask so much to become again at the kick-off the taulier of an unexpected blue attack, alongside the novice Christopher Nkunku, his junior by eleven years.

Milan connection

At 35 and 111 caps, habits die hard, but the crooked smile displayed by the former Arsenal player at the time of the Marseillaise may have betrayed a particular emotion when putting on this jersey with two stars, a first since elimination from the Euro.

On the lawn, the benchmarks are not lost like that, especially when the eternal friend Antoine Griezmann is around, and even more so with a club partner, Theo Hernandez, as a caviar donor on the left flank …

Olivier Giroud first scorer of the Blues against Côte d'Ivoire in a friendly match in Marseille, March 25, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP

The Milan duo sparked in the 22nd minute to equalize: a precise cross from the side landed on the head of the giant of one meter ninety-three, clinical to register his 47th goal in selection and celebrate it with a heart formed with the fingers in the direction of the cameras.

Forty-seven units is four less than Thierry Henry, holder of the record for goals in the France team (51), whom Giroud has been chasing for a long time.

Status

This mark seemed inaccessible for the striker given his age and his recent playing time with the Habs... Here it is brought up to date by a Giroud who is still just as efficient, and whose regularity at club level (11 goals this season) suggests at least several months at the highest level.

"I take this return as a gift, a bonus in my career. I knew that if I performed well with Milan, I could keep the door ajar. That's what I had in the back of my mind. But it was not an obsession", said the striker in recent days to the daily L'Equipe.

Will the "bonus" last?

Giroud has part of the answer in his legs, Deschamps has another in his choices.

"He needs to have an important role to play", explained the coach on Monday, acknowledging that it was "humanly very complicated" for him to be confined to a position of lining, a role which he must occupy in spite of himself. when Benzema is operational.

Olivier Giroud opens the scoring for the Blues against Côte d'Ivoire at the Vélodrome stadium, March 25, 2022 FRANCK FIFE AFP

But "he's an intelligent boy, able to adapt to any situation," assured captain Hugo Lloris, another experienced executive, on Thursday.

"There is a new environment today and he is ready to do anything to be part of this adventure", continued the doorman of the Blues.

In the short term, the adventure continues on Tuesday in Lille against South Africa... A new opportunity that the opportunist Giroud will not fail to seize.

© 2022 AFP