Fatigue, new challenge in Los Angeles… Why Olivier Giroud will play his last competition in blue at Euro-2024

Olivier Giroud refermera en Allemagne près de treize ans d'une histoire d'amour très prolixe avec l'équipe de France. MAXPPP – GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

The top scorer of the Blues, emblematic striker of Montpellier who won the 2012 title, announced in the daily l'Equipe his international retirement after the Euro which will take place in Germany from June 14 to July 14.

This will be his last fight, his 7th and final French campaign. Striker Olivier Giroud, aged 37 and top scorer in the history of the France team, announced that Euro-2024 in Germany (June 14- July 14) would be his last competition with the Blues, in an interview given to the newspaper L'Equipe.

"Leaving room for young people"

"To be honest, I have to say that this will be my last competition with the French team. Obviously, I'm going to miss it a lot. But I think that with the Blues, it will be over after the Euro. We must leave room for young people", explained the 2018 world champion (131 caps, 57 goals), in this interview published Friday.

"The weight of years is felt"

The AC Milan striker, who will join Los Angeles FC in MLS after the Euro, thinks he still has "two good years&quot ; career, "but for the French team, in my opinion, it will be over", he emphasizes.

Also read:VIDEO. Los Angeles FC formalizes the arrival of former Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud next season

"The weight of the years is starting to be felt and I have thought carefully. Playing every three days is more and more complicated, especially at this level. I'm not going there (to Los Angeles) to be a tourist, but I think it's a good time for me, continues. former player of Arsenal, Chelsea and Montpellier in particular.

First selection when he was in Montpellier

The child from Chambéry had left an indelible mark in Hérault by becoming top scorer in Ligue 1 in the year of the MHSC's title of French champion, in 2011-2012.

The striker trained in Grenoble had also made the first of his 131 caps in November 2011, that year, during a friendly match at Saint -Denis against the United States (1-0). In addition to the 2018 world title, Giroud, with the Blues, reached the final of Euro-2016 and another World Cup final, in 2022. It was during the World Cup in Qatar, won by Argentina's Lionel Messi, that the AC Milan striker had broken the French team's record for goals, then held by Thierry Henry (51).< /p>