France international Olivier Giroud has said fan debates about whether he is the right man to lead the line have become “a bit tedious.”
Arsenal forward Giroud — who has six goals in his past four internationals — is set to face England in a friendly in Paris on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old said proving doubters wrong had been “the story of my career” after scoring a spectacular goal against Sweden in a World Cup qualifying defeat on Friday.
“To be honest with you, it’s a bit tedious. People have always questioned me over the years,” he said.
“It does get to you after a while, especially because you’re doing the job on the field. But this is what also helps me to stay alert and focused on what I have to do.
“I’m not really asking myself any questions about how popular I am. The pseudo-debates don’t really capture all of my attention, to be honest.”
Giroud has scored 27 goals in 63 international games but has faced a hostile reception from sections of the France crowd at times and was jeered in a friendly last year.
A goal against England would move him up to seventh place in the all-time list of France scorers and he said: “Obviously a forward is judged on what he brings to the side, how he is involved in the game, but a striker is also there to finish.
“I have to put it away and I’m doing that. I have a good ratio, and I hope to keep climbing up the hierarchy.”
Speaking last month, Deschamps said he was happy to put his faith in Giroud as France’s attacking focal point.
He said: “With us, he is our goal scorer. Olivier knows what he is capable of, and he knows I have confidence in him.”
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