Giroud Scores Hat-Trick As France Beat Paraguay

Olivier Giroud saw the back of the net three times as France brush aside Paraguay 5-0 in an international friendly at Rennes on Friday. The Arsenal striker became the first France international to score a treble since David Trezeguet achieved the feat in 2000.

He opened the scoring in the sixth minute, doubling his total in the 13th, before getting his hat-trick and his 16th international goal in as many games in the 69th minute. The scoring was completed by Tottenham's Moussa Sissoko and Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann to give France the perfect confidence booster ahead of the 2018 World Cup Qualifier against Sweden in Stockholm on June 9.

In Group A, the Euro 2016 finalists France head Group A by three points from Sweden. The win put France back on track after their 2-0 loss to Spain in a friendly in March.