Olivier Giroud's 2021 exclusion followed media remarks

Olivier Giroud was dropped from France’s squad in August 2021 after a public complaint contributed to tensions within the team. The decision came after the European Championship, with Didier Deschamps making clear that the striker’s status and previous service did not guarantee selection.

The dispute began on 8 June 2021, when France defeated Bulgaria 3-0 in a final Euro warm-up. Giroud entered after Karim Benzema was injured early and scored twice late in the match. Afterwards, he said some runs had gone unrewarded and suggested the team could have combined more effectively, a remark understood to concern Kylian Mbappe.

Deschamps initially presented Giroud’s omission as a sporting decision shaped by competition and Anthony Martial’s return from injury. He later acknowledged that the striker’s media comments had created avoidable friction. For the France coach, grievances had to remain inside the dressing room, particularly as Benzema’s return had changed Giroud’s place in the attacking hierarchy.

The exclusion lasted almost eight months. Giroud continued to perform for AC Milan and helped the club win the 2022 Scudetto before returning to France’s squad in March 2022, when Benzema was unavailable. He scored in both friendlies against Ivory Coast and South Africa, rebuilding his position through his performances and conduct.