Olivier Giroud has signed a one-year contract extension with Lille. He turns 40 in September. And somehow, this is not a story about a veteran clinging on — it's about a striker who just helped a club qualify for the Champions League and earned another deal on merit.
Giroud joined Lille last season from LAFC and scored decisive goals throughout, including four in the Europa League, as the club finished third in Ligue 1 and punched their ticket to Europe's biggest stage. The extension keeps him there for the ride.
A fresh dynamic under Ancelotti's son
The coaching setup has changed. Bruno Genesio, who consistently praised Giroud's leadership, has been replaced by Davide Ancelotti — son of Carlo, and a coach Giroud has never worked with before.
"He's a coach with fresh ideas," Giroud said. "I'm convinced he has a lot to offer the club, and I'm looking forward to working with him." That's the right answer from a 39-year-old who knows his role is not just about goals anymore — it's about setting the tone in a dressing room.
For Lille's Champions League odds, Giroud's presence matters. He's not going to play every minute, but a striker with Champions League winner experience and a record of delivering in knockout football is not a trivial asset. He scored all four goals in Chelsea's 4-0 group-stage demolition of Sevilla in 2020-21, the campaign he finished as their top scorer in Europe on the way to the trophy.
The 'flop' with 300+ club goals
The Arsenal chapter tends to define how casual fans see Giroud, and mostly unfairly. Signed for £12m from Montpellier in 2012, he scored 105 goals and registered 38 assists in 253 appearances across six seasons at the club — three FA Cups, three Community Shields, and a Puskas Award for that scorpion kick against Crystal Palace in 2017. He left seventh on Arsenal's all-time scoring list.
Chelsea paid £15m for him at 31. He won them a Champions League. He then moved to Milan, won Serie A in 2021-22, had a stint in MLS, and is now back in France competing at the highest level.
- 105 goals for Arsenal in 253 appearances
- 39 goals for Chelsea, including 6 in their 2020-21 Champions League win
- Serie A title with AC Milan in 2021-22
- 57 goals in 137 games for France — their all-time leading scorer
France's all-time top scorer, for now. Kylian Mbappé is one goal behind at 56, though his latest attempt to level it — five shots, all off target against Northern Ireland — shows the record won't fall without a fight.
Giroud has called Lille "most certainly" the final club of his career. That career now runs into a 2025-26 Champions League season. Not bad for a flop.
