Olivier Giroud is approaching his 40th birthday with the sense that his long professional journey is entering its final stretch. The Lille striker has indicated that he is likely to retire in June, bringing an end to a career that included a Scudetto-defining spell at Milan and a record-breaking international chapter with France.
Key takeaways
- Giroud, who turns 40 tomorrow, expects the current campaign to be his final season as a player.
- He scored 49 goals in 132 appearances across three seasons for Milan.
- The French forward played a decisive role in Milan’s 2021-22 Serie A title triumph.
- After leaving Milan in 2024, he represented Los Angeles FC before returning to France with Lille.
- He retired from France duty in 2024 as the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals.
A Milan chapter written in decisive goals
Giroud arrived at Milan in the summer of 2021, aged 34, after previous spells with Montpellier, Arsenal and Chelsea. He came to Italy with a clear ambition: to win the league title in the red and black shirt. Within his first season, that target had become reality.
His contribution to the 2021-22 Scudetto remains closely tied to two afternoons that shaped Milan’s run-in. On 5 February 2022, Inter led the derby 1-0 before Giroud scored twice in the space of three minutes to turn the match around. Milan won 2-1, and the forward later described scoring and winning in a derby as an especially memorable experience.
Three months later, Milan travelled to Sassuolo knowing victory at Reggio Emilia would secure the title. Giroud opened the scoring and then added a second as the Rossoneri completed the job. He called it one of the finest moments of his career, not only because of the trophy but because of the bond it created with supporters.
Over three campaigns, the centre-forward gave Milan 49 goals in 132 matches. His name became part of the supporters’ soundtrack, while his role as a reliable No. 9 recalled an area of the pitch that had lacked a long-term reference point since the era of Filippo Inzaghi.
The closing months at Lille
Giroud left Milan in the summer of 2024, saying the move was the right decision for himself and his family. His first destination was Major League Soccer with Los Angeles FC, before he returned to his homeland to join Lille.
His first Lille season still produced 11 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions, enough for the club to extend his contract. But the player now sees the coming months differently. “As a player, this is very probably my last season,” he said, explaining that he intends to appreciate every moment that remains.
He says he is at peace with what he has achieved, though he also acknowledged that choosing the right moment to step away is difficult. A final trophy or a strong European run would provide an appropriate conclusion, and Lille still offer him that opportunity.
For now, Giroud’s focus is simpler: to keep enjoying the work that has carried him through more than two decades in the professional game. Milan’s title run will remain one of its defining chapters, a season in which an experienced striker arrived with a promise and left his mark on the championship.
