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The French striker netted one of the most memorable goals in Premier League history during Arsenal’s 2-0 triumph over Crystal Palace.

Ask any football enthusiast to name their favourite Premier League goals, and the names ‘Olivier Giroud’ and ‘scorpion kick’ are bound to come up before long.

In January 2017, Giroud produced one of English football’s most spectacular moments when he opened the scoring for Arsenal against their London rivals Crystal Palace. The Gunners secured a 2-0 win that day, with Alex Iwobi adding a second goal—though it was largely overshadowed by Giroud’s extraordinary effort.

For Giroud, that scorpion kick—a goal executed by flicking the ball with the heel of a raised leg while in mid-air—was more than just a piece of skill; it felt like an act of divine grace.

“I was touched by God’s grace that day,” Giroud told FourFourTwo in an exclusive interview. “I’m a Christian, a man of faith, and I believe everything happens according to God’s will.”

He continued, “That day, everything fell into place perfectly—the movement, the timing of my run, the execution, even the ball hitting the crossbar before crossing the line. It was one of those moments that I could never recreate.”

When asked whether his was the greatest scorpion kick goal ever scored, the Frenchman—now 39 and playing for Lille in his homeland—was firm in his belief.

“Honestly, I don’t know if you’ll ever see another goal quite like that,” he said with a smile. “We’ve seen others attempt scorpion kicks over the years, but I truly believe mine was unique.”

Olivier Giroud, who lifted the World Cup with France in 2018, admits that the goal remains one of the defining moments of his career, with fans across the world continually asking him about it.

“That day really changed my life,” he confessed. “I’ve seen that clip countless times, and wherever I travel, people bring it up. Maybe the match itself wasn’t the most important, but that single moment had a huge personal impact on me.”