GIROUD FIZZ SPARKLES IN ITS VINTAGE

OLIVIER GIROUD warned he is maturing like a fine French wine and has plenty of sparkle left at 36.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea striker has his sights set on becoming his nation’s highest-ever goalscorer after equalling the record of 51 set by Les Bleus legend Thierry Henry.

Giroud struck twice in a vintage demonstration of centre-forward play as France opened the defence of the World Cup with a 4-1 thrashing of Australia on Tuesday (above).

Now he wants the outright record after warning he has not even thought about putting the cork back in the bottle.

Giroud failed to score in 546 minutes of action in Russia as France won the 2018 World Cup and was an 11th-hour inclusion in Didier Deschamps’ squad for Qatar.

But he said: “It means a lot to be alongside Thierry Henry as France’s top goalscorers. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to be next to Thierry now.

“It is an unbelievable feeling – and we couldn’t have hoped for a better start at the World Cup.

“But I aim to play football for as long as my body will allow me. I am a competitor and still have my hunger.

“As long as I feel good I will do my best for the team to reach our target.

“I feel very good. Some of my friends tell me I’m like a fine wine.”

Giroud (above with Deschamps) was left out of last year’s Euros, but an injury to Real Madrid talisman Karim Benzema secured his return.

His goals have come in 115 games – eight fewer than it took Henry.

Giroud’s reputation in England was of a target man who took the strain for team-mates rather than a goalscorer, but he won the FA Cup four times and was part of the Chelsea squad that lifted the Champions League before departing for AC Milan.

He added a Serie A title medal to his haul in his first season in Italy.

The world champions recovered from a goal down before their quality told against the Socceroos.

Giroud said: “It was massively important to win this first game. We didn’t start in the best way, but we’ve shown great team character.

“We bounced back straight away and that was very important.”