World Cup 2018: Finally vindicated Olivier Giroud delights in 'the best moment of his life'

The striker didn’t score in Russia but in lifting the trophy in Moscow still went some way to answering his critics

It was naturally one of those nights when very few French players were going to stop to talk, because the party had already long started, creating a few different sights and sounds worth capturing.

While Raphael Varane came through the Luzhniki cradling the World Cup trophy itself, Antoine Griezmann was cradling as many bottles of beers as he could. No mate this time. Samuel Umtiti and Benjamin Mendy then came through dancing to the pumping music coming from the speakers they were carrying, but the biggest sound was of course when the joyously exuberant Paul Pogba came through.

He announced - in Spanish - this was the greatest day of his life before insisting he had to go to enjoy the greatest party of his life. And as this was all happening, there was the unfailingly polite Olivier Giroud… although he had a song of his own for the English press.

“I mean ‘it’s coming home’!” Giroud said with a broad smile on his face, before the politeness fully returned. “I had to say that! Honestly it’s a dream come true, a childhood dream. I am very proud for all the people who supported us, myself.”

Giroud then went serious for a moment, as he spoke of how there was as much vindication as joy in the victory, because of the criticism he has faced in his career. The striker didn’t score a single goal in this World Cup, although he did have a specific tactical role as a foil for Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe, and that naturally meant this was “the best thing that has happened in my life”.

“It has been sometimes difficult you know but it is a privilege for me to be part of this team. We have been very solid, very strong all the way, until the end. And I think its well deserved.

“All of my career i have been… erm, erm… how can I say I have been through certain difficulties and I have always tried to make it… it motivates me to get better and better and go through these difficulties and it is what happens in life when you are really motivated, determined, committed it is never easy. Football is very hard and people see only the nice part of the job. But we work very hard for this achievement and I am very proud to say I am a World Cup champion.

Giroud lifted the trophy in Moscow (REUTERS)

“I have been criticised [in England] a little but in France as well. Because for example I didn’t score in the World Cup. I receive a lot of messages from people who know football well, lots of French supporters.

"They see the work I do for the team and a lot of people wanted me to score in the final. I said, ‘Yes I hope so but even if I don’t score and we are world champions it will be the best thing that has happened in my life’ so I don’t know if I have had a chance again tonight. I tried to work for the team and I know what I can bring to the team. It’s the same for my team-mates.

"It is not one or two players or 11 players, it is 23 and that was the strength of the French team this year.”