Euro 2016: France to go all out to beat Germany – Didier Deschamps

Paul Pogba headed his first goal of the tournament before Antoine Griezmann fed Dimitri Payet to score the third and then made a brilliant chip to become the tournament’s top scorer on four goals.

Fans react as they watch the Euro 2016 quarterfinal soccer match between France and Iceland, at the Eiffel Tower fanzone in Paris, France, Sunday, July 3, 2016.

SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) – Iceland left with heads held high. As well they should.

“They are the reigning world champions”.

France striker Olivier Giroud answered his critics against Iceland but is not motivated by the spectre of absent team-mate Karim Benzema.

“We’ve got the World Cup coming up and hopefully we can qualify again”. “Their passing going through our defence was very good”.

Giroud hit a goal in each half of the comprehensive victory at a rain-drenched Stade de France.

Exhibit A: Olivier Giroud’s opening goal after 12 minutes.

It shows what appears to be the whole of Iceland performing the chant back at home as they warmed up for their game against France.

And yet Iceland left the Stade de France far from browbeaten.

“Perhaps he’ll come back”.

Giroud maintained he would welcome a return for Real Madrid star Benzema after Euro 2016. It got it with a jump that came out of the playbook of Michael Jordan, His Airness himself.

A simple lofted free kick from Payet three minutes later allowed Giroud to dart in front of the keeper and flick his header into the unguarded net. Pogba’s cross was nodded down by Giroud and the West Ham player collected Griezmann’s lay-off, dragged the ball away from his marker and drilled home into the bottom corner. He said Griezmann’s pass for his goal had been “a gift”.

The result was also confirmation of just how bad England are.

Iceland joint-manager Lars Lagerback rued what he called the “silly mistakes” of his side in the first-half, but overall has only happy memories of the tournament. Giroud added a fifth for France immediately after in the 60th minute from a attractive freekick by Payet.

France wasn’t as naive as England.

“We are very pleased”, said Giroud.

“We are going in the right direction and we should build upon this”.

“The world will speak differently about Icelandic football players and the Icelandic clubs after this”.

Hallgrimsson, 49, a former dentist, told the BBC World Service: “People probably expect now that Iceland qualifies for every major tournament”.

One might then wonder just why the France global has been coming under fire from fans.