Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud admits his Puskas-winning goal against Crystal Palace was inspired by early dance classes

  • Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud was presented with the Puskas Award
  • Giroud scored a scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace in January
  • The Frenchman has revealed dance classes played a role in the strike 

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has revealed dance classes played a role in his phenomenal 'scorpion-kick' goal.

The forward stunned fans when his acrobatic effort went in off the crossbar against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on New Year's Day.

The strike was so brilliant that it saw the Frenchman pick up the Puskas Award for the most beautiful goal of the year at the FIFA Best Football ceremony in London last week.

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud has revealed his 'scorpion kick' goal was inspired by dance classes

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud has revealed his 'scorpion kick' goal was inspired by dance classes

Giroud scored the incredible goal against Crystal Palace in the Premier League

Giroud scored the incredible goal against Crystal Palace in the Premier League

Giroud had originally put the effort in his team's 2-0 victory at the Emirates down to 'maximum luck'.


However, the 31-year-old has now admitted it may have been inspired by another exercise in his younger years. 

In an interview with France 2, the Frenchman said contemporary dance classes had helped him score the unforgettable goal.

'I'm going to have the mickey taken out of me,' Giroud said in reference to the lessons. 'It was very bizarre, it wasn't the situation in which I was most at ease. It was part of the curriculum to become a PE teacher.

'But our teacher considered that kind of dancing a form of art, and the move I did (against Crystal Palace) could have been part of a choreography of my dance teacher at the time.' 

The France international won the FIFA Puskas award for the best goal of the year

The France international won the FIFA Puskas award for the best goal of the year

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.