Giroud’s Greatest XI: Two Arsenal Icons and a Few Shock Omissions
He’s spent a career making star names look even shinier, but make no mistake: Olivier Giroud is a winner and a difference-maker. World Cup and Champions League medals on the shelf, 57 goals in 137 for France — their all-time leading scorer — and spells at Arsenal, Chelsea and AC Milan after coming through at Grenoble. On Sky’s Monday Night Football, during that madcap Manchester United 4-4 Bournemouth thriller, the great bearded No 9 picked his greatest XI of teammates. And there are a few eye-openers.
Keeper and Back Line
Between the sticks, Giroud goes with Hugo Lloris ahead of Petr Cech. It’s a nod to leadership as much as shot-stopping — Lloris captained France to glory in 2018 and, for Giroud, that counts. He then sets up with a back three: Thiago Silva for elegance and authority, Antonio Rudiger for bite and bravery, and Raphael Varane for that Rolls-Royce calm. Giroud even recalled facing a 17-year-old Varane in Ligue 1 and barely getting a kick — the kind of memory that sticks when you’re judging the best you’ve shared a pitch with.
Midfield: Craft and Graft
N’Golo Kante is the one-man engine room. If anyone can be a lone pivot and still cover every blade, it’s Kante. In front, Giroud treats us to a pair of Emirates-era magicians: Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil. The Spaniard’s two-footed wizardry and Ozil’s vision made them a nightmare for defenders and a dream for a striker who thrives on clever service — no surprise Ozil teed up Giroud more than anyone else in his career.
Out wide, Franck Ribery gets the nod on the right — Giroud didn’t share as many minutes with him for France, but class is class: pace, dribbles, end product. On the other side, Antoine Griezmann squeezes in because he simply has to. The Atletico star is a coach’s dream — creative, selfless, and relentless without the ball. Giroud praised his willingness to graft as much as he glides.
Front Two: Fire and Finesse
Kylian Mbappe leads the line with that rocket-fuelled finishing and big-tournament pedigree — remember his four goals en route to France lifting the 2018 World Cup. Alongside him, Eden Hazard isn’t a classic No 9, but as anyone from Stamford Bridge will tell you, Giroud’s hold-up play was the perfect foil for the Belgian’s slaloming runs and curled finishes. Together, they terrified backlines even if the raw combination numbers weren’t sky-high.
The Big Calls and Notable Omissions
No full-backs here after Giroud went with a back three, which means the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta and Hector Bellerin miss out. Petr Cech also loses out to Lloris, while up top there’s no room for Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema or the electric Ousmane Dembele. Tough choices, but that’s the game when you’ve shared dressing rooms with serial winners.
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Giroud’s XI, In Short
GK: Lloris; Back three: Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Varane; Midfield: Kante behind Cazorla and Ozil; Wide/attacking roles: Ribery and Griezmann; Forwards: Mbappe and Hazard. Two Arsenal legends pulling the strings, a metronome named Kante sweeping up, and a front line that would give any defence nightmares — very Giroud: balanced, intelligent, and built for winning football.
