Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has opened up about matching Thierry Henry’s France record at the World Cup in Qatar.
Giroud scored twice against Australia on Tuesday as world champions France won their opening Group D match 4-1.
The 36-year-old has now become the joint-highest goalscorer in the history of Les Bleus as he joined Arsenal legend Henry with a total of 51.
Henry scored 51 goals across 123 games for France between 117 and 2010 with Giroud registering his 51st in just 115 caps, having made his debut in 2011.
Giroud scored 105 goals in 253 games for Arsenal, helping the north London club win three FA Cups.
He then joined Chelsea, with Giroud winning the Champions League and Europa League as well as a fourth FA Cup.
Giroud now plays for AC Milan, scoring 23 goals across 57 games as he helped them win the Serie A title last season.
‘It’s a great source of pride,’ Giroud said about matching Henry’s record.
‘I don’t intend to stop there. I hope to continue in the competition to help the team to realise our objective.
‘We’re taking each match one after the other and looking to improve.’
Liverpool and Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk labelled Giroud his ‘bogeyman’ earlier this month and believes he is the toughest opponent he has ever faced.
He told Gary Neville’s Overlap: ‘Funnily enough, Giroud. I feel like I got him but in some way he always manages to score.
‘Whether it’s with Arsenal, Chelsea, France and I’m like… I said to him when we won the league we actually won 5-2, we were 3-0 up or something, and he scored a scrappy goal.
‘I can’t remember exactly, I think it hit the crossbar and fell down a scrappy goal I said to him ‘you scored again’ I would say he is the guy who scores against me and just an annoying person.’
France are back in action on Saturday when they face Denmark before a clash with Tunisia on November 30.
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