‘We will miss Paul a lot’ – Giroud says France must replace Pogba’s leadership at World Cup

Having
lifted
their
second
World
Cup
in
2018,
France
are
considered
one
of
the
main
contenders
to
emerge
victorious
in
Qatar,
though
injuries
to
Pogba
and
other
key
players
could
harm
their
chances.

Pogba
has
not
made
a
single
competitive
appearance
since
returning
to
Juventus
in
July,
and
was
ruled
out
of
the
tournament
after
undergoing
delayed
surgery
on
a
knee
injury.

The
midfielder,
who
scored
in
the
World
Cup
final
against
Croatia
four
years
ago,
will
be
joined
on
the
sidelines
by
N’Golo
Kante,
Presnel
Kimpembe
and
Christopher
Nkunku,
and
Giroud
believes
it
is
time
for
other
players
to
assume
senior
roles.

“We
will
miss
Paul
Pogba
a
lot,
like
Kante
and
Kimpembe,”
Giroud
said
on
Thursday.

“Paul
takes
up
a
lot
of
space
in
this
France
team
with
his
personality,
but
I
am
convinced
that
there
are
other
young
leaders
who
can
emerge.

“I
too
will
play
my
role
of
big
brother
for
the
youngest,
be
available
for
them,
and
speak
up
when
necessary.”

With
49
goals
in
114
international
appearances,
Giroud
is
second
in
France’s
all-time
goalscoring
charts
behind
Thierry
Henry
(51),
and
is
also
his
country’s
fifth-most
capped
player.

Giroud
arrives
at
his
third
World
Cup
in
fine
form
after
scoring
nine
times
for
Milan
this
season,
and
will
delay
any
decision
regarding
his
international
future
until
after
the
tournament.

“I
feel
good
physically,
in
my
game,
in
my
club
and
in
the
France
team.
It’s
a
period
of
splendour
for
me.
It’s
a
gift
to
feel
like
this
at
36,”
Giroud
said.

“I
don’t
set
myself
any
limits,
it
could
be
my
last
competition,
but
I
don’t
want
to
announce
anything.
We’ll
see
after
the
World
Cup.
My
motivation
to
stay
at
the
highest
level
is
intact.”

France
fell
short
of
expectations
when
they
suffered
a
last-16
exit
at
Euro
2020
last
year,
and
Giroud
believes
it
would
be
wrong
to
consider
them
favourites
to
triumph
in
Qatar.

“It’s
a
childhood
dream,
when
you
have
the
chance
to
participate,
you
want
to
go
to
the
end.
I
was
lucky
that
it
came
true
in
2018,”
Giroud
added.

“Having
the
opportunity
to
play
a
third
World
Cup
with
this
young,
talented
group
gives
us
a
lot
of
hope.
We
have
a
lot
of
hope
but
also
humility,
we
do
not
make
ourselves
favourites.

“We
know
that
there
are
very
big
teams
in
this
World
Cup.
I
have
a
lot
of
confidence
in
this
group.”