Olivier Giroud, the veteran French striker, has announced his intention to retire from international football after the upcoming European Championship. Giroud, who recently transferred from AC Milan to Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC, has had an illustrious career with the French national team, earning 131 caps and scoring 57 goals, making him the all-time leading goalscorer for Les Bleus.
In an interview with L’Equipe, Giroud expressed that this would be his final competition with the French national team. He acknowledged the importance of making way for younger players and emphasized the need to retire at the right time to avoid overstaying his welcome in international football.
“To be honest, this will be my last competition with Les Bleus. Obviously, I’m going to miss it a lot,” Giroud said. “But I think the French team will be over after the Euro. We need to make way for the youngsters. You also have to be careful not to have one season too many. You have to find the right balance… I’ve always said that I was going to stop when my body asked me to. I think I’ve got two good years left. But as far as the French team is concerned, I think that’ll be the end of it.”
Giroud played a pivotal role in France’s 2018 World Cup-winning squad and surpassed Thierry Henry’s goal record during the 2022 World Cup. Despite France’s early exit in Euro 2020, Giroud remains hopeful and motivated for the upcoming tournament. France is set to face Austria in their group stage opener on June 17, followed by matches against the Netherlands and Poland.
When asked about his objectives for the European Championship, Giroud focused on the collective goal rather than personal milestones. “No, I really don’t. It’s really the desire to go as far as possible in the competition with this generation that drives me,” he explained. “If I win, then apart from the Premier League, which is very difficult to win, I could say I’ve won everything… After that, I’ve heard a lot about the 60-goal mark for the national team. We’re watching, but it’s not an obsession.”
Giroud’s potential retirement marks the end of a remarkable international career, and he aims to leave on a high note by helping France achieve success in the European Championship.
Source: ghmediahub
