Olivier Giroud heads to Nice on Sunday for Lille’s fifth Ligue 1 match of the season, with kick-off set for 17:15 and a milestone waiting just beyond it. The striker turns 40 on 30 September, but his first year back in France has shown little sign of a player preparing to fade from the picture.
The move
Giroud joined LOSC last year at almost 39, recruited not only for goals but also for the standards he could bring to a young group. He has delivered one goal and two assists so far this season, even if the late-window arrival of Ayase Ueda has increased competition at centre-forward and may have moved the Frenchman out of the starting line-up.
There has been no public frustration from Giroud. Instead, he has reportedly raised his efforts in training, regularly arriving first and leaving late. Davide Ancelotti has found no difficulty managing a World Cup winner who accepts rotation while continuing to drive those around him.
“He has the mentality of players who can perform at 40, like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric,” Ancelotti said. “He is demanding of himself and exemplary in how he behaves. Those things sound simple, but sustaining them across an entire career is very difficult.
“Even when he does not start, he is the first one applying pressure on the younger players in training the following day. Then those behind him follow that example. For a coach, having a player like Olivier makes things very easy.”
- Olivier Giroud — Lille forward, turning 40 on 30 September
- Ayase Ueda — late transfer-window arrival competing for the striker’s role
- Davide Ancelotti — Lille coach
- Gaëtan Perrin — Lille player inspired by Giroud’s longevity
The French season around it
Giroud’s influence has reached beyond his own minutes. Before Lille’s 2-0 win at Angers on 23 August, he gave an emotional captain’s address in the dressing room. He urged his team-mates to enjoy the game, adding that he understood its value and that this could be his final season. His voice reportedly broke as he spoke.
The forward has also made a point of welcoming players stepping up from the academy. When young prospects joined first-team training, he was the first to applaud and congratulate them, an attitude that made an impression on the newcomers.
Ueda, potentially Giroud’s direct rival for a place, has benefited from that approach. Giroud has helped the Japanese forward settle in and has translated staff instructions into English for him. Ancelotti sees the pair as alternatives, replacements for each other and, on some occasions, a possible partnership from the opening whistle.
“Technically, he remains at the very highest level,” Ancelotti said of Giroud. “In one-touch finishing, I have not seen anything like him elsewhere. The goals he scores in the box with one touch, and how often he hits the target, are remarkable.”
Giroud can no longer be expected to play consecutive matches with the rhythm of his twenties, but his reputation continues to grow around the league. He receives applause and regular photo requests wherever he goes, while his discipline remains a daily reference point inside Lille.
Perrin summed up the effect on the squad: “When you see that kind of longevity, it makes you want to follow the example.”
