Olivier Giroud has backed Christian Pulisic to shine at the World Cup despite a difficult recent spell with AC Milan in Serie A.
The former France international, now working as a BBC Sport pundit, says his ex-team-mate has the mentality and quality to carry the United States deep into the tournament.
Giroud, who retired from international football in 2024 at the age of 37, attended France’s match against Northern Ireland in Lille earlier this week, watching proudly from the stands.
He described the experience of watching from the outside as genuinely different, saying the expectations of supporters are something you cannot fully appreciate when you are focused on the pitch.
Having shared dressing rooms with Pulisic at both Chelsea and AC Milan, Giroud says he was not at all surprised by the American’s impressive display against Paraguay in the group stage.
“I think that he has got what it takes to take the US team to the next level over the next few weeks,” Giroud said, adding that he hopes the calf problem that forced Pulisic off at half-time is nothing serious.
The pair first played together when Pulisic arrived at Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, with Giroud noting that even then the pressure of expectation from the American public was already firmly on the youngster’s shoulders.
At Milan, the squad nicknamed Pulisic “Captain America” because, even without the armband, he carried the biggest profile and the greatest responsibility of any player in the squad.
Giroud acknowledged that Pulisic endured a difficult club season, with Milan collapsing in form, failing to qualify for the Champions League, and the winger going several months without scoring.
“Whatever is going on with him at his club side, there always seems to be this expectation around Christian to deliver for the USA, and criticism when he doesn’t,” Giroud observed.
He also drew comparisons between Pulisic and Eden Hazard, saying the American reminded him of the Belgian in the way he took on opponents and dribbled past people with apparent ease.
The key difference Giroud identified, however, was that Hazard played with a natural relaxed freedom, while Pulisic sometimes put too much pressure on himself and held back from fully expressing his talent.
Giroud believes Pulisic’s move to Italy in 2023 proved a turning point, helping him grow in experience and confidence in a tactically demanding league that forced him to sharpen his game further.
He highlighted a goal against Senegal at the end of May as a crucial confidence boost, giving Pulisic positive momentum to carry directly into the World Cup campaign.
“I have always thought the USA are lucky to have him, because he has skill AND intelligence,” Giroud said, emphasising that raw talent alone is never sufficient to achieve great things at the highest level.
Giroud described Pulisic as a caring person who opens up once you get to know him, and someone he has always had a genuinely good laugh with since they first met at Chelsea.
He concluded by stressing that while no one expects the United States to win the tournament outright, Pulisic’s experience and quality make him the decisive factor in their chances of progressing into the knockout rounds.
