1 day ago As a person, Christian is idiosyncratic who astatine archetypal you mightiness accidental is benignant of a spot timid, but erstwhile you get to cognize him well, helium truly opens up.
He is simply a precise caring guy, who looks retired for people, but he's besides idiosyncratic who I've ever had a truly bully laughter with. We deed it disconnected consecutive away.
It was the aforesaid connected the pitch. Straightaway, I loved playing with him astatine Chelsea. We had a large knowing and our games complimented each different truthful well.
I played arsenic a people antheral and I needed immoderate gait and question astir maine - idiosyncratic similar him playing successful the pouch betwixt the lines and getting connected the ball, looking for maine and feeding disconnected my flick-ons. Christian reminded maine of Eden Hazard, with the mode helium took connected opponents and recovered it casual to dribble past people.
He had truthful overmuch talent, helium conscionable needed a bully situation astir him - a bully ambiance successful the squad and besides helium needs to beryllium loved, and appreciated, for him to beryllium assured and play with freedom.
That was the quality betwixt him and Eden - the mode Eden was, helium conscionable played shot for amusive and helium did not question himself excessively much. He was truthful relaxed while, sometimes, I felt similar Christian was putting excessively overmuch unit connected himself. He had excessively galore things successful his head.
It meant helium played wrong himself sometimes for Chelsea, not expressing his talent, but it was antithetic erstwhile helium joined maine astatine Milan successful 2023. I said to the boys that helium was going to beryllium a due positive for the squad and helium seemed to elevate his crippled and play with that assurance helium needed.
He grew successful Italy due to the fact that helium got older and got much experience. It was bully for him astatine archetypal to play successful the Premier League against pugnacious teams and pugnacious defenders, and past besides helium has learned from being successful Serie A wherever arsenic an attacker you look immoderate teams who, tactically, are conscionable focused connected you.
When Milan played with Rafael Leao, Christian and myself up front, we complimented each different a lot, and that is the benignant of cohesion the United States volition request too.
Christian needs his team-mates due to the fact that helium cannot bash it each connected his ain - but if helium has got the close players, helium tin bring them with him due to the fact that helium has got the acquisition and the prime to transportation the team.
It was important that helium ended his extremity drought against Senegal astatine the extremity of May due to the fact that it gave him immoderate assurance to instrumentality into the World Cup too. No-one is expecting the USA to triumph this World Cup, but if they are going to scope the knockout stage, helium volition beryllium key.
I person ever thought the USA are fortunate to person him, due to the fact that helium has accomplishment AND intelligence. Talent connected its ain is not capable and, if you are not focused similar helium is, you won't execute astonishing things. I privation him thing but the best.
Olivier Giroud was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan
English (US)·