Saturday 11 June 2016 19:03, UK
France striker Olivier Giroud hopes that he has silenced the "mudslingers" who jeered him and questioned whether he's good enough for international football.
With coach Didier Deschamps leaving out Karim Benzema from his Euro 2016 squad, all eyes were on Giroud.
Just two weeks ago Giroud was booed off during a warm-up against Cameroon but he scored the first goal in France's 2-1 win over Romania and the Arsenal striker is convinced he has more than proved his point.
"My statistics speak for themselves," said Giroud at France's training camp in Clairefontaine on the Paris outskirts.
"Several people have told me that I play better through adversity, but I don't always want to have to be fighting against the mudslingers.
"I had a lot of pressure on me and there was a lot of expectation. But I'm continuing my run of form and that's good for me."
Giroud wasted two free headers in the first half, set up both times by match winner Dimitri Payet and the forward admitted he has tried to conceal his emotions more in recent seasons.
"I'm still really annoyed with myself when I miss chances, but the difference is that I try to show it less to other people and I've really worked on that," he said.
"It's important not to show your disappointment too much, because as a striker you need to concentrate quickly again.
"You need to be in the right frame of mind to take the next chance, because it can come just one minute later."
Payet scored a stunning late winner in the opening match of the tournament to ensure the hosts began with a win and Giroud praised the West Ham playmaker for his incredible contribution.
"He played the almost perfect match, he could have finished the game with five or six assists if we'd taken out chances better," Giroud said.
"He's taken on another dimension. Let's hope there are other big nights like this, so 'Thank You Dimitri.'"
