Olivier Giroud has become France’s all-time leading goalscorer after helping the defending champion to a 3-1 win over Poland in the 2022 FIFA  World Cup in the round of 16.

The holders have continued to make a bold statement with another coasting win against Poland to reach the quarterfinals.

With his 52nd goal for Les Bleus, the AC Milan striker has surpassed the great Thierry Henry.

If not for the injury sustained by Karim Benzema on the eve of the world cup, it would have been a tall order for the lanky striker.

Giroud got the historic goal on the stroke of half-time after he controlled Kylian Mbappe’s pass before converting low into the net beyond the reach of Wojciech Szczesny.

He also provided the assist for the first goal for Kylian Mbappe, who was brilliant and turned on the style by scoring two great strikes in the second half.

The Paris Saint-Germaine striker got the first when he hit a powerful drive into the roof of the net from 16 yards. He got the second through a superb curler. 

The wonderful second he got in injury time put him in the lead of the Golden Boot race with five goals.

Mbappe also surpassed Pele’s tally of scoring seven World Cup goals before clocking 24 years. 

France looked frustrated in the game’s opening minutes until they got the breakthrough. Before the opener, they could well have fallen behind as well.

Piotr Zielinski will blame himself for failing to take Poland’s best chance in the first half. The ball dropped for Zielinski in the center of the penalty area, only for him to shoot straight at Hugo Lloris.

After getting his first world cup goal in the group stage, Lewandowski managed a consolation for the Poles. The Barcelona man rolled in a penalty with the last kick of the game.

Written by OLADIPUPO MOJEED