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France’s Legend Olivier Giroud Signs With LAFC Until 2025
Giroud Joins MLS, Following in the Steps of Messi, Suarez, and Zlatan
‘The Phoenix’ Has Arrived
Earlier this spring, soccer rumors suggested that 38-year-old AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud would leave the team. Giroud was reportedly weighing his options, which included teams from MLS, Saudi Arabia, and Europe. The France international has now made his mind up. Giroud will officially join LAFC this summer.
FIFA Puskas Award winner 2017: @_OlivierGiroud_ 👏👏👏
Congratulations Oli, we’re all proud of you 🙌 #TheBest#NaNaNaNaa 🦂👑 pic.twitter.com/JZfuTf9NOC
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 23, 2017
Noted journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that Giroud reached a verbal agreement with the MLS team in March. “Olivier Giroud signs contracts as new LAFC player, ready for MLS new chapter after verbal agreement reached in March! Contract until December 2025 set to be sealed in the next hours. Giroud will leave AC Milan as free agent. Here we go, confirmed,” Romano posted on X.
🟡⚫️🇺🇸 Olivier Giroud signs contracts as new LAFC player, ready for MLS new chapter after verbal agreement reached in March!
Contract until December 2025 set to be sealed in the next hours.
Giroud will leave AC Milan as free agent.
Here we go, confirmed 🔐🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/3vvpF2GH3h
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 23, 2024
How Giroud Helps LAFC
Giroud fits like a glove with LAFC! Soccer news outlets know that LAFC desperately needed a striker. The 2022 MLS Cup Champions lost team legend Carlos Vela, their longtime captain and all-time leader in goals and assists, in the offseason. Vela’s contract expired in December and both parties could not agree to a renewal. LAFC hadn’t replaced him yet.
— carlos vela (@11carlosV) April 15, 2024
Mateusz Bogusz has done his best to replace Vela but he’s not as consistent and Giroud is still playing at a high level in Italy. Giroud has 13 goals and eight assists in 30 Serie A games with AC Milan this season and he can help make up for Vela’s production while giving Bogusz a partner up front or allowing him to play in the midfield, which is his more natural position.
The Giroud stats throughout his career are incredible. Giroud has 181 goals and 63 assists in 458 career games in 15 seasons with Tours, Montpellier, Arsenal, Chelsea, and AC Milan. He’s represented the France national team since 2011, being their all-time top scorer with 57 goals in 131 international appearances. He was instrumental in France winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup!
This goal from Olivier Giroud. Pure filth! 🔥
📽 @EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/qTanCB59HO
— Raghu (@IndiaTales7) April 23, 2024
According to Jeff Rueter and Tom Bogert from The Athletic, “in some ways, this feels like the strategic inverse of when local rival LA Galaxy signed another member of Milan’s 2021-22 title team, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in 2018. Back then, the Galaxy hitched its fate to the Swede as the centerpiece of an effort to turn around a floundering franchise, quickly cobbling together a roster around him. Here, Giroud enters as the potential final piece for a perennial contender, as Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini were in the summer of 2022.”
Throwback to Olivier Giroud scoring score 4 goals past Sevilla in the UCL. Left foot, right foot and a header. Perfect. He was so underrated here! pic.twitter.com/KsQPJjKjnx
— Williams ©️ (@CFCNewsReport) March 26, 2024
Why Giroud Signed With LAFC
Lionel Messi’s presence helped convince Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suárez, his longtime teammates at FC Barcelona, to join him at Inter Miami CF. We can assume that seeing Messi join MLS and his success there so far helped influence Giroud’s decision to sign with LAFC. Was it the Messi effect or did his former France teammate Hugo Lloris convince him?
Giroud will join Lloris at LAFC. The 37-year-old goalkeeper signed with them during the winter transfer window. Lloris has allowed 14 goals, with 26 saves and two clean sheets in nine MLS games this season.
🗣️ “That’s what a world champion does.”
This season, @Zelle will donate $1,000 to @Latinos4Ed for each save made by a #LAFC goalkeeper throughout the regular season.
Save of the Match | @Zelle pic.twitter.com/LlZs4Y1MHn
— LAFC (@LAFC) April 22, 2024
LAFC is currently in seventh place in the Western Conference standings with 12 points in nine games. They host the Portland Timbers on Saturday. Giroud’s AC Milan is in second place in the Serie A standings with 69 points in 33 games. They clash with Juventus on the road on Saturday.
