It was the kit swap that never was, which sparked a social media exchange for the ages.
And now, as the latest A-Leagues All Access episode goes to air, the full story is finally revealed, detailing exactly what happened between France’s Olivier Giroud and Australia’s Jason Cummings in the aftermath of the former’s 4-1 win over the latter at the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar.
READ MORE: ‘F****** HELL’: UNSEEN TUNNEL MOMENT SHOWS SIDE OF JASON CUMMINGS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN … UNTIL NOW
WATCH A-LEAGUES ALL ACCESS, EPISODE 12: WHY SO SERIOUS?
Cummings was famously snubbed by Giroud when asking for the French striker’s kit after the 4-1 defeat. Giroud’s kit went to Australian midfielder Jackson Irvine; once back on Australian soil, Cummings told Australian media show he walked past Giroud, “as handsome as ever, and I asked him: ’Giroud, please man, can I get your shirt man? I’m a big fan, can I get your shirt?’
“And he just walked past me, pretended he never spoke English! And he’s been in the Premier League for 10 years! (laughing). He just walked right past me.”
Giroud’s cheeky response caused a social media storm:
As it turns out, the Frenchman’s intentions were genuine on that night in November; it’s revealed in the detail of Giroud’s Instagram message to Cummings, which the Mariners striker reads aloud in Episode 12 of A-Leagues All Access, titled Why So Serious?
“I got a message from Giroud this morning!” Cummings tells his Mariners teammates, as he walks into the change rooms ahead of another day on the training track.
“He messaged me on Insta… I’ll show you bro,” he stands in front of his French teammate, Beni N’Kololo. “I need you to translate!”
Cummings continues around the changeroom, greeting his teammates as he goes. “I swear to god, he messaged me on Insta. Giroud, lad!
“I seen it this morning, I was like: ‘Oh f****’. I s*** myself. I thought someone was winding me up.”
Cummings finally makes his way to his locker in the change room, his teammates forming a tight huddle around him as he opens up his phone to read aloud the message Giroud had left for him on Instagram that morning.
“Hi bro, what’s up? I’m sorry about the misunderstanding but Jackson asked me to swap shirts first.
“I wanted to keep my second jersey, which was symbolic for me because I just equalled Thierry Henry’s goal record in that game bro, winky face.” He says the last two words aloud as he reads on.
“Anyway, I would like to send you my (AC Milan) jersey if you’d like? Let me know man, take care. Oli G!”
It’s at this point when the Mariners change room explodes into celebration. Cummings receives a high five from teammate Dan Hall.
In the days and weeks after, he would receive Giroud’s Milan kit in the mail. And of course, Cummings repaid the favour by sending a Mariners kit of his own.
A happy ending to the hilarious tale.
“What do I say in French, lads?” Cummings asks his teammates. “Je M’apelle la ‘Cumdog’?”
Watch A-Leagues All Access Episode 12 | Why So Serious? from 7:30pm Thursday night on KEEPUP.
Produced by KEEPUP Studios and JAMTV, each new episode of the docuseries will debut on Thursday at 7:30pm AEDT on 10 Play, KEEPUP.COM.AU, the KEEPUP app. It will be available on Australia’s fastest growing streaming service, Paramount+, and will then be broadcast on 10 Bold at 2:00pm AEDT on Saturday afternoons as an appetiser for the evening’s Isuzu UTE A-League Men game on the same channel.
