Football Daily - Olivier Giroud on Mbappe & winning the World Cup

Episode Date: June 16, 2026

France's all-time leading goalscorer Olivier Giroud speaks to Mark Chapman about winning the World Cup in 2018, Didier Deschamps and what Kylian Mbappe is like as a person amongst the French squad. On winning the World Cup, he talks about playing a selfless role in the team and not getting on the scoresheet at the tournament. He also reflects on his time at Arsenal and the amount of respect he has for Arsene Wenger, and how he knew Mikel Arteta would go onto become a manager.0’15 - Is it strange watching the World Cup and not being there? 1’17 - Could he still play international football if he wanted to? 3’00 - How he told his friends he would win the World Cup one day 4’50 - What it was like meeting his heroes from France ’98 and respect for Didier Deschamps 7’30 - How he looks back on 2018 World Cup win and comeback against Argentina 9’50 - His ‘selfless’ role at 2018 World Cup and not scoring 15’15 - Relationship with Mbappe and that famous picture from 2022 against Poland 16’01 - What Mbappe is like as a person & France’s front line at the World Cup 17’40 - Arsene Wenger and Arsenal not winning the title his only career regret 20’39 - Mikel Arteta was a leader and was the link between Wenger and players 22’17 - How honest Arsene Wenger was in his move from Arsenal to Chelsea 25’50 - Does he marvel at current strikers and the amount of goals they score? 26’20 - Will Deschamps get the send off he deserves? 28’26 - Zidane to take over?

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. Who's actually won the Iran War? I'm Tristan Redmond. And I'm Asma Khalid, and together we host the Global Story podcast from the BBC. The US and Iran say they've struck a deal to end the war. But a key question is what's actually been achieved by nearly four months of fighting. And is the situation better, worse, or the same for the region and Iran? For the full story, check out the global. story on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

He's widely recognized as one of the greatest footballers in history. He's won the prestigious Ballandor Award five times. He's the all-time leading goal scorer in professional football. And according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he's the first active footballer in history to achieve billionaire status. Guess who we're talking about yet? That's right. Good Bad Billionaire is exploring the life and fortune of football icon Cristiano Ronaldo.

That's Good Bad Billionaire from the BBC World's Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. The People World Cup 2026, the Football Daily Podcasts with Mark Chapman. Hello, welcome to the Football Daily Pod, a special episode for you today, as I'm with France's all-time top goal scorer, Olivier Jouret. Olivier, thank you very much for joining us. My pleasure. Is it strange watching a World Cup and not being involved?

For the first time, since a long time, Yes, you have to be honest. It's a bit weird and it's a weird feeling. I'm the first supporter now of the national team. But you know what? I have no regret because I have done my time with the national team. I felt like I was really lucky to win that World Cup, to play three finals. and now I just, you know, retire and leave the space for the youngsters.

They have a great generation and, as I said, my kids and myself, we will cheer up for them. Do you think you could, if you wanted to, because you're still playing club football and you'll play and you've signed for another year at Leal. Could you still play international football if you wanted to? Well, it's a question of you should ask the manager. But I feel good. You know what? I feel good.

That's why I carry on my career. And I always say that as long as my body allow me to play, if I'm ready mentally, because the body is one thing. Some of the players, they stop their career because I was speaking with my car. his knee didn't allow him to carry on. But if the body is right, you know, you're feeling good, you also need that motivation, determination to carry on, you know, to always get out of your comfort zone

because it's a lot of sacrifices, it's very demanding the high level and international level, you know, even more. But yeah, why not? If Deschon asked me to play one more game, I can try. But, you know, I don't feel a massive difference between two years ago when I retired after the Euro Cup and now. Of course, you know, I'm turning 40 in September

and still running a lot on the pitch and feeling well. But can I be ready for the best level? international level I don't know to be honest we'll talk about your career and and certainly winning the World Cup and everything to do with France if I take you back to the 11-year-old who watched France win the World Cup in 1998 which was a huge moment in the country yeah wasn't it would you you said that day didn't you yeah that you would play in the World Cup for France so the story is When I was 11, I was watching it with my friends.

It was crazy in France. It was like all the people went in the street celebrating this victory to Brazil, free nil. Can you imagine that at home? So yeah, the country, the entire country was on fire. And I said to my friend, one year I will win the World Cup. But I believe a lot of young. kids yeah i probably i probably you know your promise too so yeah my friend remind me this day before the

night before the final and i felt like it was so cute you know and yeah i said oh you're right now i need to i need to honor my promise so in 20 so before the 2018 the day before the final on the 14 of july sent me a text and told me don't remember you said you said you you're gonna win it and he didn't even mention it the whole competition and yeah i felt like it was yeah yeah i don't know not not destiny but you know i felt like you know give me some confidence when you then came across and let's not forget didier deschon was then your manager but he was a hugely important part at 98 and that french team zadain is obviously with iconic iconic figures in world football, not just French football.

Yeah. When you then met them for the first time, did you go back to being that 11-year-old boy seeing your heroes? Or was it more professional? When I met Deschon? Yeah. Well, I played against him when he was Marseille manager. When he was Marseille manager, I think we won the league with Montpelier.

Montpellier. Yeah, 2012. We lost a final to Marseille also in 2011, the League Cup final in Stade de France. So yeah, I had two good years in Montpellier and I think he knew me from that period but yeah, so much respect for Didé Deschon. He did win everything and he's got that aura, you know, in France and he's one of the main men of the national team. So yeah, I felt like when I

first hour I was in national team it was Lauren Blanc. Yeah. Loron Blanc was also called the president. The president. I don't ask me why I don't remember, but you know, big personality, charismatic, charismatic. Yeah, charismatic. Yeah. Yeah. And so I was

really proud. And when DJ Deschon arrived, I was telling myself wow, you're lucky because you are Laurent Blanc and now you have Deschon. So two big names of the national team, France 98. So I met Zidan obviously a few

times but didn't get to know him really well. Maybe it will be the next one. Yeah. So now we are really lucky, you know, in France. The young players, they can learn from the best. Was that the kind of manager?

I was going to say he was, but still is, in that he can command respect from you all because he has been there and done that, that aura. Yes, we've got so much respect for what he achieved in his career. He's got that legitimacy. When he explained you that how to win, you know, trophies, you listen well, you open your ears and your eyes, of course, because, yeah, one more time, he's a legend, French legend.

So I think that's why everybody in France trust him. How do you look back now on that 2018 World Cup? When I look back, we've been solid, really solid, you know, as a team. The turning point of that competition was, the victory to Argentina because we were leading in the competition

almost the whole competition up on nine minutes against Argentina during that nine minutes I didn't feel like the team was doubting and we came back really quick nine minutes after

the with the Pavar you know that's a very top corner and I felt the team really strong and confident and playing like with no fearless and yeah because we were leading all the competition that's why that's why I said we were really solid we kept the result you know we had to defend the result and Deshaun is very good for that also you know we we didn't play the the Spain game or you know possession attacking attacking we just do our what we know to do better good, you know, and we score goals, and after we defend well.

And that's what we've done. I remember against Belgium. Maybe we'll talk about that later, but Belgium was such a close game. And, you know, with that golden generation, even if they never won something, we said like it was one of the best Belgium teams. So with Dembele, company, Azzar, the... Lukaku, Kevin DeBron. We've been suffering so much. And I think what makes us really strong in that team,

it's the team spirit, the team cohesion, that solidarity that you could see Grizzman and myself, the two strikers with Kilihan, defending in midfield, you know, like chasing Eden and all these players. It was a crazy game. And I think the final. We started the game really well,

and I think we were the better team on the pitch. Your role in that World Cup was quite selfless, wasn't it? Yeah, because, as I said, as long as we were leading in the game, we were defending our results, you know, and Arson Venger used to tell me, do the people, don't see. You know, it's very true,

Because specialists sometimes they can see it, but not everybody. For example, the pressing, the defending runs to help the midfielders and your teammates, the deflections, the flikons, you know, all that good understanding I had on a pitch with Grisman and Bapé. I assist and I did not score on that World Cup for six games. No. Yeah, I did not score on that World Cup. I was really frustrated.

I assist. I made two assists. I play a big part and a lot of my teammates told me and said in the media, if we didn't add only, we maybe probably we couldn't win. It was really nice from them. But yeah, I felt like frustrated because as a striker, obviously your job is also to score goals. Today I'm still the top scorer of the national team for our.

long I don't know. Yeah, and that World Cup. That's why, you know, that World Cup 22 when I score four goals, you know, it was like kind of a revenge for me because people were saying, oh, look, they won the World Cup, but it's not thanks to him because he didn't score. And obviously. Were you going to bed in Russia in 2018 worrying that you hadn't scored? Yeah, yeah.

But even though you knew that you were doing the right role for the team. Yes, but that's difficult, isn't it? Did Deshaun knew what I was doing for the team? My teammates too, the specialists too. But, you know, all the people who don't see are not specialists about football, they just watch the stats, like today, you know, it's all about statistics. Yeah. They don't, nowadays, we don't even watch games, we just see the highlights,

who is scoring, who is on the score shit, and that's it. So yeah. More the competition. That was that goal. You know, I had a shot on target against Peru. It was one of my best game. We won one nil, but it was a tight game or so. I shoot deflection from the keeper or the defender.

And the ball was going in the goal. You know, it was only a second game. First game I was on a bench because I was also injured. On my head, I had nine stitches. Anyway, the ball was going in a goal. I've seen Embappe like pushing the ball in the net, back of the net. It was his first goal in World Cup, so I can understand him. He really wanted to score.

But I think the ball was going in the net. So I was not angry against him, but afterwards, you know, after the third game of the group, last 16, quarter-final, semi-final, I still did not score. And second manager. Guy Stefan, second manager of the national team, Guy Stefan told me it's going to be for tomorrow. Every time he's saying, next game, next game.

Never happened, but as a journalist asked me, if I would give my worker back and take the top score hurricane at that tournament, I would say, come on, come on. Never, ever. But it did fire you up, as you've just said, to them prove a point in the next tournament. Definitely.

To make sure that you got goals. Yes, for sure. I did score in 2014 in Brazil and I did score in 22. And, you know, in a season, it can happen to a striker who are not going to score for six games. You know, it happened to everybody almost. I mean, Ronaldo and Messi, I don't know, but I'm sure it happened to Alon to talk about Premier League. But, you know, in a competition and all the countries watching, it was different. So, yeah, I was kind of relieved.

The 23 Ballandoor, France footballer is Lionel Messi. The winner is Christiano Ronaldo. This is the story of the greatest rivalry in the history of sport, a rivalry that split football into two fates for a generation. There could be no, oh, Messi and Ronaldo, are both great players. had to be one that was better. They 100 million percent pushed each other to the next level. You know, we were the lucky ones who got to see it.

I'm Steve Crossman. This is Sporting Giants, Messi v. Rinaldo. Listen first on BBC Sound. Who's actually won the Iran War? I'm Tristan Redmond. And I'm Asma Khalid, and together we host the Global Story podcast from the BBC. The US and Iran say they've struck a deal to end the war. But a key question is what's actually been a story.

achieved by nearly four months of fighting. And is the situation better, worse or the same for the region and Iran? For the full story, check out the global story on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. He's widely recognised as one of the greatest footballers in history. He's won the prestigious Ballandor Award five times. He's the all-time leading goal scorer in professional football. And according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he's the first active footballer in history to achieve billionaire status. Guess who we're talking about yet? That's right.

Good Bad Billionaire is exploring the life and fortune of football icon Cristiano Ronaldo. That's Good Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Club 20206, the Football Daily Podcasts. With Mark Chapman. Listen, on BBC Sounds. What's your relationship like with Ambape? If you look over your, if you can turn over your other shoulder, there is the iconic.

Oh, you made it for me? A four year, yeah. I did it personally, I did it personally a little bit. I printed it out and framed it for you. That's a great picture. It is a, it's a fantastic picture. It's when I beat TT Henry Record. He assists me and I just went towards the corner flag and knee slide and like so happy.

And I turn around and I've seen Kiliang jumping in my arms and I told him, you know that I love you, bro. I was so happy on that day. Yeah, he can score, he can assist, he can do anything. What's he like as a person, though? Is he demanding? Yeah, very demanding with himself and the others. But I don't know.

I think some people, they have a wrong image of Kiliang because maybe the way he's communicating with media. I heard some other players from other countries that said, oh, you're French people, you look arrogant, arrogant. I don't know. But trust me, he knows where he wants to go. He was so mature at that age already when he played his first World Cup 19 years old.

You could say the way he's talking to media and confident, really confident. It's not about arrogance, I would say it's just, you know, he had so much confidence on himself and he's a role model, he's a captain of the team now and I hope he will lead the team to the third star. They have some forward talent, though, this current French.

It's nothing to say. You have Olise the other day we were watching that game in the stand because it was in Lille. Yeah. So Olise, Shurkey, Tembelly, Mbapapé, Duay, Turam, Mateta, and I'm, Barcola. There is no Eki-TK.

So Deschon's got everything, okay? So he's got so much option up front. We've got the best talent in, like as strikers. Let me take you back to what you said about Arsendanger. When he said that, did that surprise you, given Vanga's reputation for pure football and the football that he played? Yeah, in a sense, yes. It surprised me because we used to play a nice football, you know, enjoyable to watch.

But sometimes, you know, he had to talk like that. Not only to me, it was not a, he talked to the team when he said that. Because this is the things sometimes that we don't see, we don't notice. And, you know, for example, for a striker, the free runner will do, to make space for my teammate behind. I will go first post to free the space, back pass, the midfielders who are running for the strikers,

to compensate all the time. So, you know, this kind of stuff, it's part of the mentality and do the things right to help the team, you know. And he probably said that in a moment that we were maybe not, having the result we wanted and maybe we were not doing so well.

But he said like carry on to do the things that you think it's nothing. It doesn't help, but it's key for the team. Did you sense in that period, as you say, it was quite a frustrating period for Arsenal at time. Yeah. You didn't win anything. But it was, it was frustrating. Yeah. Did you sense he was frustrated at that time?

Maybe. Maybe, yes, because we had a great team. We played an amazing football, but at the end, you know, it was too hard to win the Premier League. This is my only regret in my career, not to have won it. We were closed in 2016 when Leicester won it. Could have been the year, but Leicester was flying. It reminded me when I played with Montpelier, you know, it was so unexpected and even more enjoyable. Well, they deserve to win on that year, but we collapse a lot.

maybe in March, Tottenham too. But yeah, the other years, you know, you played in the United City. They were too strong, you know, and we were not consistent enough. So I think, yeah, we were all frustrated. That's why I was so proud, so happy for them. Like, I've been to see them in the Champions League final.

And no matter if, obviously, I wanted them to win because, you know, I spent five and a half years at Arsenal so French people will understand. But I was so happy for them that they made it 22 years after the Invincibles. They won that primarily again. It was long, a long wait, but it's well deserved. And for a former teammate of yours in Mecca Laeteta. He's doing an amazing job.

So, you know, happy for him as a friend. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's such a hard worker, I think. I never had him as a manager, but I can watch him. Because the standard question is here. Could you see that that's what he would? Yeah. He had this, you know, he was captain.

He was the link between Arsene and the players. He was like very professional tactically. He had, he tried to never let something in doubt like he won't. to see to be precise like very demanding with himself and the others and if you for example you don't do the recover you don't you don't do the run you know to get the ball back he will scream to you and yeah as a leader he was a leader in the team and then he he left but yeah I remember him as a strong character and you can still see that now yeah for sure you can and see and also, you know, always really focus, you know, really.

He's living the game with passion. He's doing the recovery runs. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was so funny to see him and with Enrique at the final. Similar managers for me. When you left Arsult to go to Chelsea, was that, how long did you spend thinking about that? Because that's a big move, isn't it?

Yeah, but the thing. I think he's back in the days, Arsson wanted to play a different type of striker up front. And he was really honest with me. And I owe him for that. I owe him a lot because first he brought me from France and made my childhood dream come true. This is one thing.

But the other thing is when I didn't have enough game time, he said, look, only for who you are and what you've done for the club, you will go where you want to go. And at the end, you know, it happened on the last day of, you know, the 30th of January 2018. We had that Zoom call with Marina Granovskaya. They made it happen, you know, because things were not going really fast.

And I needed to leave the club, unfortunately, to play the World Cup in a starting 11th. Deschon was like, Keep remembering me every single international break. Holy, only, you need to play, you need to play, you don't play enough. Otherwise, you'll end up danger for the walker. And then we know the rest of the story. So, yeah, I feel blessed because I met, I work with people who really helped me

to become a better player and also to understand, you know, I share some great human moments. And Arsene is part of... you know part of them because that honesty as I understand it from talking to a lot of different people in football over the years not everybody is as honest

as that or looks at the human side of things so there are some managers who will just as a commodity won't they rather than a human being so I had I had managers who are very good tactically they they make their team playing

well but human wise management communication like being close to your players zero I won't tell you who

but you know sometimes it's like that and then after you meet people who care about like want that to have that relationship like to be close to their players

and I love it and every single player love it because it's really important for their confidence and then you want to give him back on a pitch because you appreciate that a relationship and arsen was part of them he was nice person but he was not yelling at you or screaming i've seen him two three times like okay if you were not in the game or you didn't have a good game the the game after you know that you will sit on the bench. So he is quite fair.

When you look at fellow strikers now and we're in an age where it sometimes 25, 30 goals a season is not enough now. We're talking 40, 45, 50 when you look at Kane and Harlan in particular. Even though this is your position and your craft and you've scored the goals you have and you're a record goal score for France. Do you marvel at what they do? Because their numbers are phenomenal. Yeah, I'm impressed.

I'm impressed because to do it every single year, it's amazing. Okay, you have your teammates around you, but you have to be special to do that every single year. So I have a lot of respect for them, and not a lot of strikers can do that. So I know what it demands to do it on several. years with consistency is amazing. Do you think, just turning it back to the World Cup to finish,

do you think there is sentimentality in sport and that France would like to give Deshaun the send-off he deserves? Do you think that will play a part in their thinking? Yeah, I hope so. If I was there in the US playing for Deschen, his last competition, for what he achieved, He's done for the national team during these 14 years in a row. I think nobody has done that before.

Yeah, he deserved to exit by the big door. Yeah, we said that, yeah. A big door. And it's always hard, you know. I don't remember if he was Jordan or a big athlete. He said, you cannot really choose the end. You never know. You don't control everything.

Plus, when you are a player, not manager, but when you are a player, you are of course, at the end towards the end of your career, you are not on a peak of your form. So it's normal, it's type to go down. But Deschon, you know, he's done two World Cup finals. He won one, Euros Cup final. You know, he's got amazing record. So he deserves to finish well. I mean, nobody did that before,

win two World Cups as a manager and one as a player, so it would be the only one. I wish him really to success, but... Are they the favourites for you? Yeah, yeah, they do. Yeah, they can't hide. We are number one at the FIFA table

and we have an amazing team, but they have to deal with that. They have to assume that's in our position. But with humility, you know, because anything can happen in football. But one more time, yeah, I think the players, they know that, they want him to finish well. So it will be a plus motivation, you know.

And Zidan's take over? And Zidon is probably coming. I don't know if he signed yet, but it's not, I think, a secret anymore. He's been waiting for that job since a long time. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to see also what he can be. bring to the national team his experience and, you know, his aura and is Ivan. So the best French player all time for me.

So yeah, it should be an honor to play for him, you know. So it will be interesting. Best French player of all time, but not their all-time leading goals. No, no, not really. For a few days. It's a good place to finish, isn't it? Thank you very much for joining us. Thank you for having me.

That's it. Don't forget the Football Daily is from LA. Every single morning on the next one, they'll look ahead to England's first group match against Croatia. And we'll have full commentary of that on Five Live. Just search World Cup on BBC Sound or as your smart speaker to play Five Live. So much sport today and all the goals as they go in up and down the leagues. This is Five Live Sports.

It's all eight to the lights and Fet and a floor. To bowl him. It's not to stop out. Everyone's standing. around the 18th Green. Overhead Cesar is to the center. He kisses the tour. Five live sports.

The home of the world's greatest sporting events. Listen on BBC Sounds. Who's actually won the Iran War? I'm Tristan Redman. And I'm Asma Khalid, and together we host the Global Story podcast from the BBC. The US and Iran say they've struck a deal to end the war. But a key question is what's actually been achieved by nearly four months of fighting. And is the situation better, worse or the same for the region and Iran?

For the full story, check out the global story on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. He's widely recognized as one of the greatest footballers in history. He's won the prestigious Ballandeur Award five times. He's the all-time leading goal scorer in professional football. And according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he's the first active football. in history to achieve billionaire status. Guess who we're talking about yet? That's right. Good Bad Billionaire is exploring the life and fortune of football icon

Cristiano Ronaldo. That's Good Bad Billionaire from the BBC World Service. Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.