Giroud divides viewers as BBC faces mounting calls to drop pundit mid-World Cup

Olivier Giroud is at the centre of a growing debate over the BBC’s World Cup 2026 coverage, with a significant number of viewers calling for the former France international to be removed from the broadcaster’s pundit panel after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria on Monday night — a match settled by a Lionel Messi brace.

Criticism of Giroud’s punditry has been building throughout the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the BBC and ITV. Social media was again flooded with complaints following Monday’s game. “Olivier Giroud STINKS as a pundit. They have to replace him,” wrote one viewer. Another demanded: “BBC need to pull a Tunisia and sack Olivier Giroud mid-tournament. Woeful pundit.” A third added: “Please no more Giroud. He’s so bad it’s actually painful to watch. Not everyone can be a pundit.”

However, opinion is far from unanimous. Several viewers pushed back against the criticism. “Olivier Giroud as a pundit is surprisingly calm — like he talks the game the same way he finishes chances, simple and efficient,” one supporter wrote on X. Another offered: “Seemingly unpopular opinion but Olivier Giroud’s perfectly fine as a pundit. Was a tough listen in the first game he did this tournament admittedly but loads quicker and clearer since, clearly a concerted effort to be so.”

At 39, Giroud is still an active player with Lille in Ligue 1, and this World Cup marks his first sustained run as a television pundit, having made a single appearance on Sky’s Monday Night Football last season. Speaking ahead of the tournament, he said: “I’m really excited about starting a new experience. Looking forward to seeing Micah [Richards] and Wazza [Wayne Rooney].”

The punditry row is not the only front on which the BBC has faced scrutiny. The broadcaster has drawn criticism for choosing to host its World Cup studio coverage from Salford rather than stateside, while ITV opted for a New York set with the Manhattan skyline as its backdrop. The contrast was highlighted by Gary Lineker, who appeared on ITV’s coverage and said of their set: “I think it’s absolutely amazing and I can confirm that it is real. What a backdrop.”