Olivier Giroud joked he would be proud to show Thierry Henry he was wrong to choose Belgium over France.


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Henry, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, will switch allegiances for Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final as he is a coach in Roberto Martinez’s Belgium backroom staff.
Giroud insists he will not allow Henry’s presence on the opposing bench to distract his focus with a place in the World Cup final at stake.

Obviously, I’ll be very proud to show Thierry Henry that he’s chosen the wrong camp, Giroud said ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final in Saint Petersburg.
It is true that it will be weird to see him lining up against us for the game, it will also be a special game for him. Personally, I just care about winning.

Eden Hazard and Kylian Mbappe, both reportedly linked with Real Madrid, are two of the biggest talents at the World Cup and also team-mates of Giroud.

They are both geniuses, added Giroud. Kylian Mbappe is still a raw diamond to polish. He is still very young and can progress hugely. He is more dangerous with his speed I would say.
He is able to do some moves deep inside without the ball. Kylian is more of a striker than Eden.

But to stand alongside Eden every day at Chelsea, he is impressive when he is driving with the ball, in his capacity to cut through with the ball.

For me, he is one of the three best players I have ever played with in my whole career.

There will be a strong Premier League influence in Tuesday’s match – the two squads combined boast 17 players from England’s top division.
There is a big rivalry between France and Belgium, it is kind of a derby, he added. They have nine players who are playing in the English Premier League so there’ll be something of a British accent.


It is true that for Hugo Lloris, myself, N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba it will be a special game.