Arsenal great Thierry Henry says he'll be happy when Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud passes his France goalscoring record.

Giroud is still likely to play a key role under Didier Deschamps and has a chance to beat Henry's 51-goal haul for the French national team.

The Arsenal legend amassed his total in 123 games, while Giroud has played 16 less going into Wednesday's friendly with Wales.

" It would be great, a great achievement," Henry told Goal.

"Records are made to be broken. I often speak to him actually, whenever he scores a goal or two, and I always say to him 'well done', because he deserves it.

"In the past three or four years it seems like he's been struggling for starts with his team at club level, but whenever he plays - whether it's at club level or in the national team - he often delivers.

"And yes, I know people will tell me that he didn't score a goal at the World Cup, but at the end of the day he lifted the trophy so it doesn't really matter."

Henry believes that his qualities are unique in the modern game and could provide most teams with a valuable “different dimension".

"Olivier is the type of striker that is kind of dying right now," he added. "The old school, holding the ball up, passing the ball to the winger, getting into the box and breaking your neck to score with a header.

"But what I like is how he puts people in a game. He's very good, he will give the assist sometimes when you link up with him on a one-two.

"He's that type of player and I think it's very good for the national team to have a different dimension to the other guys, who like to go in behind and go out to the wing and drop in.

"I think it's great for Didier Deschamps to have a striker like Olivier and if he goes on to beat the record, amazing."