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Age gap no problem for France's deadly striking duo
Giroud, at 36, brings experience and guile to France's attack, while Mbappe, 23, is blessed with pace so explosive that the screens at the Al Thumama Stadium showed him hitting a top of speed of 35 kph (22 mph) as he tormented Poland's defence.
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France's forward #10 Kylian Mbappe (right) celebrates scoring his team's second goal with France's forward #09 Olivier Giroud during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between France and Poland at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on December 4, 2022.
(AFP/Franck Fife)
T
hirteen years separate France strikers Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud but their devastating double act in the 3-1 last-16 defeat of Poland at the World Cup on Sunday showed the age gap is no barrier to a flourishing relationship.
Giroud, at 36, brings experience and guile to France's attack, while Mbappe, 23, is blessed with pace so explosive that the screens at the Al Thumama Stadium showed him hitting a top of speed of 35 kph (22 mph) as he tormented Poland's defence.
It was not supposed to be this way in Qatar. Giroud looked set for a secondary role for the World Cup holders until the team's number one centre forward Karim Benzema pulled out with an injury on the eve of the tournament.
Mbappe and Benzema have forged a promising partnership for France in the past but the young Paris St Germain striker has said previously that Giroud's approach to attack probably suited him better.
That understanding was clear for all to see as Poland were cut apart by France's strikers.
A defence-splitting pass by Mbappe set up Giroud to break the deadlock - and become France's all-time top goalscorer - in the 44th minute of the mismatch, with Poland chasing shadows for most of it.
The goal also made Giroud - at 36 years and 65 days old - the oldest scorer in a World Cup knockout match since Cameroon's Roger Milla against Colombia in 1990 in a last-16 game.
