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Olivier Giroud: Frenchman hits 40 international goals as Les Bleus win over Croatia

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Olivier Giroud scored his 40th international goal as France beat Croatia 4-2 in the Nations League, in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup final.

Chelsea striker Giroud, 33, marked his 99th cap with a penalty after coming off the bench to move one goal behind France legend Michel Platini.

Arsenal great Thierry Henry holds the national record with 51 goals.

Former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren had put Croatia ahead but the world champions were too strong.

Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann equalised and Manchester United’s Anthony Martial’s shot went in off goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic to put the hosts ahead.

Josip Brekalo equalised but goals by defender Dayot Upamecano and Giroud gave France the win which keeps them level on points with Portugal at the top of Group 3.

Eduardo Camavinga’s 63rd-minute appearance from the bench, at the age of 17 years and 303 days, saw him become the youngest player to make his debut with France since Maurice Gastiger in February 1914.

Elsewhere, in England’s group, Iceland took a shock lead in Belgium but two goals for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi – linked with a return to Crystal Palace on loan – helped Roberto Martinez’s side to a comfortable 5-1 win.

Author

Milton Nyakundi

Milton Nyakundi is a veteran multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience across broadcast, digital, and print media, who relocated to the United States in 2022 and is now the Senior International Correspondent for Kurunzi News based in Washington, DC, USA. He has previously worked with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), among other high-profile roles with Kenya's first privately-owned media outlet - Kenya Television Network. His experience also include prominent roles as Media Consultant for Football Kenya Federation (FKF), and StarTimes Kenya. His career spans high‑stakes political reporting covering legislative and constitutional issues, elections, governance, and accountability across Kenya, Africa, and global arenas. He also boasts extensive sports journalism experience, covering local and international sports events, including leagues, tournaments and sports governance. He is well-known for his investigative depth, editorial leadership, and evidence-driven journalism that guides his consistent delivery of public‑interest storytelling across platforms.

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