AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud has been recalled to the France team to compensate for the package of injured Karim Benzema, the French Football Federation announced on Saturday.
France is due to face Ivory Coast in a friendly match on March 25 in Marseille and then South Africa on March 29 in Lille. Giroud, 35, has not worn the Blues jersey since the defeat against Switzerland in the round of 16 of the Euro. In 110 selections, the Milanese scored 46 goals, making him the second top scorer in the history of the French team, five goals behind Thierry Henry.
He is the second most capped active player, behind goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (136).
“I’m not talking about the France team in the past tense. »
At 35, Giroud’s international career seemed to have come to an end, as a result of the return to grace of Karim Benzema, recalled for the Euro after several years of absence and falling out with Deschamps, and who has since displayed sparkling form with the Real as in selection.
But in an interview with Europe 1 which was to be broadcast on Saturday evening, the person concerned assured before his recall that he had not given up on the blue jersey. “I am not talking about the France team in the past tense, he said according to extracts from this interview published by the radio. So if the coach calls me, I will answer present as I have always done. »
Arrived last summer in Milan after winning the Champions League with Chelsea, the striker is having a good season in Italy. He scored eleven goals, often decisive, including eight in the league, for the “Rossoneri”, current leaders.