“Incredibly clutch player” – Fans left speechless after stunning display from ‘elite’ France star during 2-1 win over England in FIFA World Cup QF
France have secured a seat in the FIFA World Cup semi-finals after beating England 2-1 in the quarter-finals. While Les Bleus were impressive in every area, the fans have taken to social media to hail one player in particular: Olivier Giroud.
The towering Frenchman proved too much for the Three Lions to handle as he tamed their defensive effort with a powerful match-winning header. He currently sits at the top of France's goalscoring record list, having beaten Thierry Henry's 51 goals to rack up 53 goals for them.
The 36-year-old has only gotten better with age, with four goals in four FIFA World Cup appearances in Qatar. Notable for his ability in the air, it was little surprise that Olivier Giroud provided the winning goal with a header.
Fans have taken to Twitter to praise his efforts, hailing him as one of the most impressive players in world football. Here is a selection of their tweets:
Joint 2nd leading scorer at the World Cup with Lionel Messi & only 1 goal behind Mbappe.
Olivier F*cking Giroud. RESPECT. @_OlivierGiroud_ 🫡 https://t.co/ip7TCIMUOu
Olivier Giroud is the single most underrated player of the 21st century.
This man continues breaking records, always comes up big in important games, has a plethora of incredible goals and keeps getting better with age.
What a sensational player he is. https://t.co/fyy9qLi2aq
What a dramatic 2022 for Giroud. Incredibly clutch player https://t.co/aSX9tFweYe
Giroud sending England out like https://t.co/I4jmZkQYKm
Giroud becoming a national hero in front of Arsenal Fans eyes : https://t.co/UwpjEAPlbV
Giroud is simply inevitable!! Come on Ex-Chelsea player!!
Man Giroud is just elite penalty box striker.
Giroud was vital for Didier Deschamps taming the Three Lions of England, and he will likely be called upon to handle the Atlas Lions of Morocco in the semi-finals. In the meantime, the towering forward will bask in his impressive performance, which has sent England packing out of Qatar.
Gareth Southgate's men were seen as the underdogs against a French outfit that won the 2018 edition of the FIFA World Cup. While their fans may have hoped for an upset, it wasn't to be, as France put their best foot forward to secure the win and move on to the next round.
2022 FIFA World Cup: France 2-1 England
France were the first to bite, opening the scoring with a brilliant counter-attack that ended with Aurelien Tchouameni's effort in the back of the net. With 17 minutes on the clock, quick movement from Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann helped Tchouameni get the ball. The Real Madrid youngster put his effort into the bottom-left corner to stun the Englishmen.
England were awarded a penalty in the 54th minute, which Harry Kane effortlessly buried. However, they weren't able to hold onto the equalizer for too long, as Olivier Giroud had his magical moment with 78 minutes on the clock. The France forward got right in front of Harry Maguire, before nodding his powerful effort into the goal.
Another penalty came for the Three Lions, as the French struggled to keep fouls out of the 18-yard area. This time, however, Kane failed to put his effort on target, powering the ball above the bar and into the stands instead. Bruised, battered, and unable to find the clinical edge required, England eventually collapsed and crashed out of the FIFA World Cup.