Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud bizarrely claims France might not have won the World Cup if he had scored
The 31-year-old failed to register a shot on target in Russia as Les Bleus beat Croatia 4-2 in the final to win their second World Cup
CHELSEA star Olivier Giroud has defended his goal return in Russia - insisting France may not have won the World Cup if he had found the back of the net.
While his team-mates Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe banged in four goals each, the 31-year-old failed to muster up a shot on target.
But the ex-Arsenal striker has declared he doesn't lose any night's sleep after drawing a blank for Didier Deschamps' men - as he starred in all seven matches for France.
He has drew comparison with fellow forward Stephane Guivarc'h, who failed to score when Les Blues last won the World Cup in 1998.
Speaking to , he said: "It necessarily results in a little frustration. But it has largely been filled by the title. The collective takes precedence over individuals.
"I often had to do a little bit of different work, make sacrifices to help the team hold the lead. In fact, you have less energy to be decisive in the last third.
"Except against in the second half, I do not have the memory of having missed many opportunities. I even produced two assists.
"My zero goals does not stop me from sleeping. In the street people tell me: even if you have not scored, you have been important.
"We might not have been world champions if I scored. Statistics can be used for anything and everything. I was decisive in another way."
While Giroud has also maintained his desire to carry on playing for France, and is refusing to call time on his international career that has yielded 31 goals in 81 caps.
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He added: ";As long as I feel good, can bring something to the team and the coach calls me, I am available.
"I am aware of being closer to the end than the beginning. So I enjoy every moment. I do not put myself any barrier, I do not set any limit.
"It would be a nice figure [100 caps], but before, I would like to rise to among the top three scorers in the history of Les Bleus. For now, I share fourth place with Zizou [Zinedine Zidane] three only behind [David] Trezeguet."