Giroud bags hat-trick as France thump Paraguay

Olivier Giroud became the first player to score a hat-trick for France in 17 years

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud became the first player to score a hat-trick for France in 17 years as his side thrashed Paraguay in Rennes.

Giroud was on the scoresheet alongside Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko and Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann.

The previous France player to score three in a single match was David Trezeguet in 2000 against a Fifa XI.

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France face Sweden in a World Cup qualifier next Friday, followed by a friendly at home to England on 13 June.

Giroud’s first goal in the friendly was a volley from Ousmane Dembele’s pass, his second a header with Dimitri Payet providing the assist, before completing his hat-trick on 69 minutes after a clever assist from Barcelona’s full-back Lucas Digne.

Manager Didier Deschamps said: “Giroud is our best scorer, he continues to get goals and when he is not scoring himself he helps others around him score.”