According to AFP, Olivier Giroud, France’s all-time top scorer and former Arsenal and AC Milan star, has stated that his decision to play in the United States is akin to stepping away from the French national team. He believes it is time to pass the torch to younger players.
This summer, Giroud left AC Milan to join Los Angeles FC in the United States. He said, “I have to face reality. I’m about to turn 38, so I decided to go play in the U.S. Will the 2024 European Championship be my last major tournament? We know that to be called up to the French national team, you must play in one of Europe’s major leagues… The feelings of saying goodbye? There are a lot of memories, but I try not to think about it too much. What’s most important is always the team’s performance, and personal gains and losses come after that.”
For some time, Giroud has been trying to share his experience with players under 25 on the French national team. However, he doesn’t like being called “uncle” and prefers to see himself as an older brother to the young players. He said, “I try to speak up more on the pitch, and if the young players need my help, I’ll be there to support them. Maybe we have a difference in terms of playing experience, but I don’t feel like I can’t keep up with them because, in my mind, I’m actually younger than my real age. I can joke around with them, and I enjoy the music they listen to.” That said, when someone older repeatedly emphasizes that they’re not out of touch, it usually means they’re starting to feel their age.
Giroud made his debut for the French national team in 2011. Thirteen years later, he has played 133 matches and scored 57 goals, making him the top scorer in French national team history. Who will be Giroud’s successor for the French team? Giroud suggests that one possibility is Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, despite the fact that the two were rivals during Giroud’s time at AC Milan: “I have a very good relationship with him. Who will be the center forward for the French team in the future? What’s important is that it’s time to pass the torch to the young players now.”