It is too early to advance with conviction on the relevance, or not, of the recruitment of Olivier Giroud in Lille. But on paper, this return to France of the top scorer in the history of the Blues will delight many people. At almost 39 years old (he will celebrate them on September 30), the former Montpellier striker has chosen to return home, with (probably) a last exciting challenge on the side of LOSC. If the doubts are allowed after his contrasting passage to Los Angeles FC (37 games, 5 goals), Giroud was rather reassuring on his state of health this Wednesday, during his presentation press conference.
“I am not worried about my level of play, nor on my physical capacities (…) I feel good physically, do not worry”he assured after being embarrassed by a physical glitch in the ankle in recent weeks. “I chose to return to a championship that I know, with characteristics that suit me, a way of working that I know. I come back for the pleasure of the game, in a championship which will correspond to me more (than the MLS). I need challenges, challenging myself, and this challenge speaks to me. Returning to France, in a club that has been working very well for several years, but not only. I always said that I wanted to play until my body said to me. Since I feel good, I feel that I can bring. “
He does not come to count the butterflies
If some promised him a supervisory role among young people in the group, Giroud refuses to limit himself to that. Especially with the departure of Jonathan David at Juventus, the French will have space to express themselves. “But I will also be able to be a support when I am on the bench”he laughed after a flattering comparison of Olivier Létang between himself and the handball player Mikkel Hansen, who had endorsed this “Grand-Frère” cap with the Danish selection. “I know this role of being there for the youngest, of motivating them, I know what awaits me, the craze that there can be when an international player – as with Paul (Pogba) in Monaco, returns.”
Regarding his motivations, he said they had changed in recent years. If he had not necessarily planned to return to the country at the start (Olivier Létang had already suffered a refusal in 2019), the top scorer in the history of the Blues did not need a lot of time before being convinced by his new president: “Olivier's call (Létang) was decisive, and the fact of getting closer to the family, my friends, a country that I like, with the sympathy capital and the love of the French … even gastronomy. Lille checked a lot of boxes, not to say all. Bruno (Genesio) is also a great coach and we share the same football ideas. I am optimistic about the fact that it “will match.” “ Eden Hazard, Mathieu Debuchy or Benjamin Pavard also praised him the qualities of the Lille environment. “But they didn't really need to convince me”he laughed. His story with Lille begins now.
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