Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has revealed the three players he idolised in football during his childhood years.
The Blues forward moved to Stamford Bridge from Premier League and London rivals Arsenal back in January on transfer deadline day, with Antonio Conte’s side paying £18m for his services.
After a slow start at Stamford Bridge, the Frenchman has recently hit some goalscoring form and has now bagged five goals in 15 games for the Blues, including the winner over Liverpool on Sunday.
His 105 goals in 253 games during his time in north London with Arsenal stands as an excellent marker to show that Giroud is a lethal striker, an ambition he had from a young age.
The Frenchman has revealed that he idolised former AC Milan and Chelsea star Andriy Shevchenko when he was growing up and learning how to play the game.
Speaking in the Chelsea matchday programme, Giroud spoke of his admiration for the former Ukraine international, specifying that Shevchenko was his hero growing up.
When quizzed about who his boyhood hero was, Giroud explained: “Andriy Shevchenko, because he could score every kind of goal; left foot, right foot, head. He was really complete as a striker.
“Powerful, quick, intelligent. I had a few heroes: Jean-Pierre Papin, Marco van Basten but Shevchenko was my favourite.”
Shevchenko’s talents dominated European football throughout the Ukrainian’s career. He scored a grand total of 241 goals in 502 games, averaging a goal every 2.08 games across an entire career.
However, the Milan legend failed to set the Premier League alight with Chelsea after making the move to English capital. He scored 22 goals in 77 games for the Blues, which although is still respectable, does not quite represent the class that Shevchenko provided elsewhere in his career.
Marco van Basten also represented Milan, scoring 125 goals in 201 games there as well as winning three Ballon d’Or awards. Jean-Pierre Papin also won the Ballon d’Or, in 1991, and played for Milan, with whom he also won the European Cup and two Serie A titles.
Chelsea host Huddersfield Town on Wednesday night, looking to draw level on points with Liverpool, before travelling to Newcastle in the final game of the season on Sunday.
