Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud is a French professional football player who was born on 30 September 1986 in Chambéry, France. Currently, Giroud plays for the French national team as well as AC Milan and his main role in the team is of a centre-forward.

He is a hard-working striker who is also capable of playing in several other offensive positions. Known for his goal-scoring rate and heading accuracy, Giroud can also hold up the ball for a long way to the goalpost. He can also be seen outwitting opponent defenders with his brisk run-making ability.

He has currently scored 261 goals in 655 senior club appearances, as well as 53 goals in 120 appearances for France. He is currently France’s highest-ever goal scorer.

Early Life

Olivier Giroud was born on September 30, 1986, in Chambéry, a town in the French Alps. He grew up in the nearby town of Froges and began playing football at a young age. As a child, Giroud was a talented athlete and played several sports, including football, basketball, and athletics. He eventually focused on football and joined his local club, Olympique Club de Froges, at the age of six.

Giroud's talent as a footballer quickly became apparent, and he joined Grenoble's youth academy at the age of 13. He spent several years developing his skills in Grenoble's academy before signing his first professional contract with the club in 2005.

Club Career

Giroud began his professional career with Grenoble, where he played for two seasons. Giroud made his senior team debut on 27 March 2006 coming as a replacement in a Ligue 2 game against Gueugnon, which ended up in a 1-1 draw. On 4 August 2006, in a 2-1 defeat against Niort, he made his first proper start playing for the whole 90 minutes. Giroud's first professional goal came on 26 February 2007, against Le Harve.

In 2008, Giroud joined Tours FC, where he scored 33 goals in 73 appearances, which attracted the attention of other French clubs. In 2010, Giroud joined Montpellier HSC, where he had a breakthrough season in the 2011-2012 campaign. He scored 21 goals and helped Montpellier win their first-ever Ligue 1 title.

In 2012, Giroud signed for Arsenal FC, where he played for six seasons. During his time at Arsenal, he scored 105 goals in 253 appearances and won three FA Cups. On 31 January 2018, he moved to Chelsea FC ending his long-long career with Arsenal. At Chelsea, Giroud found great form as he scored 39 goals and provided 14 goals from 119 games. At Chelsea, the French International won many trophies including the Champions League, Europa League, and an FA Cup.

After spending 3 years at Chelsea, Giroud decided to make a switch to the Italian league and Italian giants AC Milan came forward to buy the player for 4 million Euros. The French International is loving his life at Italy as he ended up winning the Serie A league title with AC Milan during the 2021-22 season. Since making his debut for Milan in 2021, Giroud has managed to score 26 goals in 72 appearances.

International Career

In late 2011, he received his maiden call-up for the French national side, and on 11 November 2011, he made his international debut in a friendly against the United States. The match ended in a 1-0 win for France. On 29 February 2012, Giroud scored his first goal playing for France in a friendly against Germany, in which France had won by 2-1.

Giroud was selected for France's squad for Euro 2012 and made three appearances in the tournament. France reached the quarter-finals but were knocked out by eventual champions Spain. He was also selected for France's squad for Euro 2012 and made three appearances in the tournament. France reached the quarter-finals but were knocked out by eventual champions Spain.

Giroud was part of France's squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He played in all four of France's matches in the tournament and scored one goal in a 5-2 victory over Switzerland. Giroud was an important player for France at Euro 2016, where he scored three goals in the tournament, including one in the final against Portugal. France reached the final but were ultimately beaten 1-0 by Portugal.

Giroud played an important role in France's successful World Cup campaign in 2018, where they were crowned champions. He played in all seven of France's matches in the tournament and provided an assist in the final against Croatia. Despite not scoring a goal himself, his link-up play and hold-up play were crucial in helping France win the tournament.

He also featured for France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, helping them reach the final. They were unable to defeat Argentina on penalties however Giroud became France’s all-time highest goal scorer by reaching 53 goals in 120 appearances.

Records

• He is the fifth-highest-scoring French player in Premier League history with 86 goals, behind Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, Eric Cantona, and David Ginola.

• He is the all-time top scorer in the history of the Europa League with 36 goals, surpassing the previous record held by Henrik Larsson.

• He is the all-time highest goal scorer for the French national team with 53 goals.

• He has scored four hat-tricks for the French national team, which is the joint-most by a French player, along with Michel Platini and Just Fontaine.

Awards and Achievements

Personal Life

Giroud is a devout Christian and has spoken publicly about his faith. He is also known to be an avid fan of motorsport, and he enjoys watching and participating in car races. He also enjoys playing golf and has participated in several charity golf tournaments.

Giroud is actively involved in various charitable causes. In 2017, he launched his own charity, Les Giroudins, which aims to provide support for sick and disabled children.

Net Worth

As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be around $10 million.

Family

Olivier Giroud comes from a mixed ethnic background. His father, Jean-Pierre Giroud, is of Italian descent, while his mother, Véronique Giroud, is of French descent. He has a younger brother named Romain Giroud, who is also a footballer and has played for several clubs in the lower leagues in France.

Wife

Giroud is married to Jennifer Giroud since 2011, whom he has known since he was 14 years old. The couple has two children together: a daughter named Jade, born in 2013, and a son named Evan, born in 2016.

Houses

There is not much information available about Olivier Giroud's houses, as he is known to keep his personal life private. However, it is known that he owns a luxurious villa in Tuscany, Italy, which he purchased in 2017. The villa is located in the picturesque town of San Casciano dei Bagni and boasts stunning views of the Tuscan countryside.