‘I’m making the most of every moment’ – Giroud admits retirement is close

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Olivier Giroud has said this season will “very probably” be his last.

Giroud, now playing for Lille, will turn 40 on Wednesday and is seemingly set to call time on his career that began in 2005.

He has played for the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan and Los Angeles FC.

Giroud was also France’s record goalscorer with 57 goals, earning the record at the 2022 World Cup, though it was beaten by Kylian Mbappe earlier this year.

“As a player, I think it is very probably my last season,” he told L’Equipe. “That’s why I’m making the most of every moment.

“I am at peace with myself and everything I have accomplished in my career. I feel more relaxed than ever.

“The goal is to enjoy every moment, to continue to find pleasure in what I do, what I love every day.

“Returning to France, making this choice after this long career as an expatriate abroad, has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) September 29, 2026

Giroud won the 2018 World Cup with France and was also part of the squad that finished as runners-up at the 2022 edition, as well as the 2016 European Championships.

He made 137 appearances in total for Les Bleus with his last cap coming back in 2024.

At club level, the Frenchman has made 806 appearances across his career, scoring 303 goals, with 105 of those coming at Arsenal (253 games) – the most he has scored at any single club.

He also won league titles with Montpellier and AC Milan, as well as the Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea.

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