Frank Lampard heaped praise on "ultimate professional" Olivier Giroud after the veteran French striker took his rare chance in Chelsea's starting lineup to score all four goals in the 4-0 Champions League win over Sevilla on Wednesday.
Giroud, whose only previous start this season came in the League Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, was handed a start after scoring a vital late winner as a substitute in Chelsea's last Champions League outing at Rennes.
At 34 years and 63 days, Giroud became the oldest player to score a Champions League hat-trick and also the oldest to do it in the European Cup since former Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas did so in September 1965 for Real Madrid against Feyenoord.
He also became the first Chelsea player to score four goals in a single game since his manager Lampard achieved the feat against Aston Villa in March 2010.
"He is the ultimate professional," Lampard said after Chelsea secured the top spot in Group E with a match to spare.
"He isn't always a regular but his performances have shown that he is a great sign for young players to keep training well. It was an amazing performance, to score four goals in the Champions League is a fantastic achievement.
"It was a complete performance and I am delighted for him."
It was the second time the France striker had netted four in a game in his career but the previous occasion will seem like a distant memory as it came in the French second division for Tours against Arles-Avignon in 2009.
Giroud acknowledged he had a memorable night against Europa League holders Sevilla, who were lucky not to have lost by a bigger margin to the rampant visitors.
"When I am on the pitch I just try to enjoy it," he said. "I try to be patient and keep the faith, I just try to give something else to the team. Sometimes you feel anything can happen and this night was one of them."
Given Giroud's limited game time so far this season - having established himself as Chelsea's first-choice striker following the coronavirus shutdown - speculation has been rife that the France international could leave the club during the January transfer window.
However, Lampard previously stressed Giroud's importance to his plans when he said: “Oli is very important. “I want Oli to stay here because he will play. He was a big member of our squad last season."
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Sevilla v Chelsea player ratings
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SEVILLA RATINGS: GK: Alfonso Pastor Vacas 6 – The inexperienced 20-year-old pulled off a number of decent saves. With that being said, he could do very little to prevent Giroud from netting a hat-trick. EPA -
DF: Jesus Navas 6 – The former Manchester City man, who now operates as a full back, was slightly underwhelming going forward with the ball. Was replaced in the second half. Reuters -
DF: Sergi Gomez 4 – Really struggled up against Giroud. The defender could not contain his aerial presence – which led to his late conceding of a penalty. AFP -
DF: Diego Carlos 6 – Enjoyed a slightly better game than his defensive partner – but not by much. A tough evening for the entire Sevilla backline. Reuters -
DF: Karim Rekik 5 – Limited going forward. His night was made all the harder by Hudson-Odoi, who didn’t stop running at the Dutchman. PA -
MF: Nemanja Gudelj 5 – Looked way off the pace all evening. Very slow and sluggish compared to the likes of Jorginho and Kovacic. EPA -
MF: Ivan Rakitic 6 – Endured two very different halves. The former Barcelona star controlled the tempo for large spells early on, but faded massively as the gas tank ran out. PA -
MF: Oscar Rodriguez 7 – The creative hub of the side who enjoyed some success in the first half. Couldn’t sustain it, though. AFP -
FW: Oussama Idrissi 5 – Lively at times – though it seldom led to anything of note. Came off in the second half. AP Photo -
FW: Franco Vazquez 6 – Denied Antonio Rudiger a certain goal from a corner, but that was about as good as it got for the forward. One to forget. Getty Images -
FW: Youssef En-Nesyri 6 – Almost scored with what would have been an outrageous goal from the halfway line. That aside, it was a pretty frustrating evening for the talented forward. AP Photo -
SUBS: Lucas Ocampos 6 – Scarcely touched the ball in Chelsea’s half, after spending most of the game defending his own net. Getty Images -
Jules Kounde 5 – The 22-year-old may be highly rated at Sevilla, but on this evidence, he still has a lot to learn. AP Photo -
Joan Jordan 6 – Did very little to turn the tide of the game. Reuters -
Munir El Haddadi 6 – Wasted a handful of set-pieces in dangerous areas. AFP -
Oliver Torres N/A AP Photo -
CHELSEA RATINGS: GK: Edouard Mendy 7 – Another assured performance from the former Rennes stopper. Weathered a few first half storms but had very little to do in the second period. EPA -
DF: Cesar Azpilicueta 7 – A quiet game from the captain. With Chelsea largely playing on the counter he was rarely required to venture forward. AP Photo -
DF: Andreas Christensen 7 – Very solid following a long spell out of the starting XI. If he can maintain this level, first team starts should become a more regular occurrence. AFP -
DF: Antonio Rudiger 8 – Chelsea’s unsung hero on the night. Giroud may steal the headlines, but the German’s distribution and overall defending was excellent. AP Photo -
DF: Emerson 7 – Provided great support to the Chelsea wingers, venturing forward with more intent than Azpilicueta on the opposite flank. AP Photo -
MF: Kai Havertz 7 – Kept things simple in the middle. With more time on the ball to express himself, he rarely made a mistake with the ball at his feet. Reuters -
MF: Jorginho 7 – Metronomic in possession and incisive when necessary. Improved as the game wore on. Getty Images -
MF: Mateo Kovacic 8 – Added valuable energy and dynamism to Chelsea’s otherwise patient play. Grabbed a lovely assist for Giroud’s second goal. AP Photo -
FW: Callum Hudson-Odoi 8 – An impressive night’s work from the Englishman, who looks determined to fight his way back into Lampard’s plans. Whipped in a few wonderful crosses that really should have yielded a goal or two. AP Photo -
FW: Christian Pulisic 6 – Didn’t hit his usual heights. Linked up well with Giroud but didn’t manage to carve out a good scoring opportunity of his own. AFP -
FW: Olivier Giroud 10 – A ridiculously good performance from the veteran forward. His four goals – which started with a perfect hat-trick – showcased his full predatory repertoire. If that doesn’t earn him a start against Leeds United next weekend, nothing will. AP Photo -
SUBS: Mason Mount 7 – Ran poor Jules Kounde ragged in the closing stages. Getty Images -
N’Golo Kante 7 – Provided a sublime assist for Giroud’s third goal. A fine cameo. Getty Images -
Hakim Ziyech 6 – Didn’t see too much of the ball during his 20 minutes on the pitch. Reuters -
Timo Werner N/A – Almost worked an opening in the box late on but he was tackled well. Getty Images -
Billy Gilmour N/A – Came on too late to make a meaningful impact in what was his first game in months following an injury lay-off. Getty Images
