Giroud makes UEFA Champions League’s history

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has written his name into the UEFA Champions League’s history books after scoring four goals in the Blues’ victory over Sevilla.

Making just his second start of the season across all competitions, Giroud sent a strong message to manager Frank Lampard on Wednesday evening when he netted all four of Chelsea’s goals in a comprehensive 4-0 Group E away victory over their LaLiga opponents.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner opened the scoring as early as the eighth minute after being picked out by Germany international Kai Havertz, before doubling his tally soon after the half-time break with a superbly-taken chip over Alfonso Pastor in the Andalusians’ goal.

He then completed his hat-trick with a quarter-of-an-hour left to play when he headed home from N’Golo Kante’s cross, in the process becoming the oldest player in Champions League history (UCL era) to net a treble in the competition, aged 34 years and 63 days.

34y 63d – Olivier Giroud is the oldest player in Champions League history to score a hat-trick, while he's the oldest to do it in the European Cup since Real Madrid's Ferenc Puskás in September 1965 (38y 173d v Feyenoord). Glorious. pic.twitter.com/vNRBGACFm6

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 2, 2020

Read Also: Koeman: Resting Messi my decision

Giroud’s contribution for the night was not done, however, as he added a fourth from the penalty spot ten minutes later to join an exclusive group of only 13 others players who have scored four or more goals in a Champions League match since 1992.

The former Chelsea star is also the first Chelsea player to net four times in a single tie in the competition, and the first in any competition since manager Lampard achieved the feat against Aston Villa in 2010.