France undeniably possesses one of the deepest and most talented national squads on the planet. The 2018 World Cup winners are widely considered to be one of the runaway favorites at the 2020 European Championships for that exact reason. Les Bleus’ opening win against Germany was rather underwhelming, but they got the job done regardless. The three points over the Germans seems even more impressive after Joachim Low’s men—led by Chelsea star Kai Havertz—rebounded and put four goals past Portugal on Saturday. Earlier that morning though, it was the French who struggled to find the back of the net again.
Didier Deschamps’ team came from behind to salvage a lone point in Budapest. France’s 1-1 draw with Hungary opens the door for other teams in the group and perhaps the tournament. More worryingly for French supporters though, it highlights their side’s struggles. These problems begin and end with a certain Chelsea No. 9 by the name of Olivier Giroud and the fact he’s been benched for Euro 2020.
It’s no secret that Giroud is both the most underrated striker and the best target man in world football. He is no longer starting weekly for the Blues at the club level because Thomas Tuchel’s tactics require a more youthful pair of legs. However, the same cannot be said for the French National Team. The 34-year-old has been a staple in Les Bleus’ front line for years and it’s worked wonders. Giroud hasn’t always been the one on the scoresheet—although he is just five goals away from drawing level with Thierry Henry as the nation’s top ever scorer—but he’s willing to do the dirty work.
Enter Karim Benzema.
Now, before diving into where Deschamps has faltered lately, one thing must be made clear. Benzema is undoubtedly better than Giroud at this point in their careers, a point my colleagues at The Real Champs would agree with, no question. Benzema returned to the France squad after a six-year hiatus just a few weeks ago on the back of a La Liga campaign where he finished second in scoring, behind only Lionel Messi. This was news in and of itself, but his inclusion immediately saw Giroud dropped in a shocking development.
Benzema has now played over 300 minutes since his return—starting in four games—and has yet to re-open his international account. Meanwhile, Giroud has played just about a fifth of that time (~65 minutes) and scored twice. Individual goal tallies don’t necessarily matter as long as the side is winning, which isn’t the case right now. France looks sluggish in attack because Deschamps tried to fix something that wasn’t broken. International football is not about fielding the best XI possible, it’s about sending out a team that meshes well together.
Past competitions have shown us that Giroud is the best front man for France. He may not be the better player per se, but he’s less selfish and that’s what the team needs. Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann both love to have the ball at their feet. They cannot excel as wide playmakers with a No. 9 who also demands possession. Giroud is the glue that holds the attack together and the proof is in the pudding. Les Bleus have scored just two goals in the Euros through two games and their problem is certainly not in defense or the middle of the park.
All of these signs point toward the self-proclaimed F1 car needing to break for pit lane while the go-kart takes over the top spot. If France wants any chance at making it back to the final of the European Championships, it needs the Chelsea man leading the line. Giroud’s unselfishness and positional excellence allow those around him to work their magic. He’s the key to getting Les Bleus firing on all cylinders.
Who do you think should start at striker for France? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!