Olivier Giroud's boring World Cup punditry a big problem for the BBC with ITV battle being lost

Olivier Giroud's boring World Cup punditry a big problem for the BBC with ITV battle being lost Olivier Giroud was one of the BBC's big-name hires for the World Cup but has proven boring on his punditry debut - and ITV has enjoyed the higher viewing figures so far Every team has now played at the World Cup. Judgements have been made, opinions have been formed and routes through the knock-out stages have been plotted. Some highly-fancied teams have underperformed, some minnows have surprised and plenty of big-name players have got amongst the goals already. And while the entertainment has largely come from the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Lionel Messi, there are other personalities competing for eye balls and adulation. The battle between the BBC and ITV for our attention is well underway and the early viewing figures suggest the latter is winning so far, having attracted a peak audience of 15.4 million for England's exhilarating win over Croatia. Figures from the Guardian show ITV have boasted four of the top five audiences of the World Cup so far. The BBC will hit back and will likely overtake their terrestrial rival, having gambled on more first picks in the knockout stages. Executives at the BBC won't be worried, and will point to the exponential increase in people viewing their highlights on iPlayer and clips on social media, but another problem won't have escaped their notice. Viewers have really not been taken by one of their star signings, Olivier Giroud. Get the latest World Cup 2026 news in your inbox with our Make Football Great Again newsletter Social media has been alight with negative comments about the former Arsenal, Chelsea and France striker, whose charm and good looks have not distracted from his bland and boring analysis. Up until Mbappe scored twice in France's win over Senegal on Tuesday, Giroud was Les Bleus' all-time record goalscorer. His football credentials are not in doubt at all and, as a current player, he might have been expected to offer some insight or behind-the-scenes detail on World Cup stars. Unfortunately that has been sorely lacking so far. Sat alongside the likes of Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards and Gael Clichy, the 39-year-old has been fine when asked to engage in some playful banter. But when tasked with a subject a bit meatier he has been found wanting. "I'm really excited about starting a new experience," a bright-eyed Giroud said upon arriving for the first time at the BBC's Salford studio in a social media clip made last week. That enthusiasm isn't in question. But he appears clueless at how to articulate himself in his second language when it comes to actual analysis. This shouldn't come as a surprise. Giroud is new to this. A month ago he was playing for Lille. And, despite what everyone seems to think, punditry is hard. As football broadcasting veteran and punditry coach Matt Curtis told me four years ago: "You can’t just pick up a microphone and do it. To excel you need to learn the foundation of TV; how to prepare analysis, how long you talk for, how you make an impact." I don't know how much preparation Giroud did for his TV punditry debut and speaking in a second language should not be underestimated. But it does underline the need for broadcasters to use trained pundits, rather than players trying their hand at a side gig. Those sat alongside Giroud in the BBC studio have been working at their job for some time. They have been afforded time to hone their craft. Giroud has been (voluntarily) chucked in at the deep end. I'm sure he won't be too fazed by the criticism and he could soon be joined in copping some stick by his former Chelsea team-mate and fellow newbie BBC pundit Cesar Azpilicueta. Beyond the usual suspects of Rooney, Richards and Alan Shearer on the BBC and Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Roy Keane on ITV, the best punditry, for my money, has come from coaches, rather than ex-players. ITV's use of Emma Hayes and Ange Postecoglou has provided some genuine insight into the mindset of players and the tactics of managers. The BBC have signed up Thomas Frank for that reason and the ex-Brentford and Tottenham head coach did his reputation no harm at all when he was a pundit for the corporation for Euro 2024. The problem is that the affable Dane could end up further highlighting his new colleagues being out of their depth. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.