Happy Birthday, Olivier Giroud!
Olivier Giroud celebrates his 39th birthday on 30 September, and Ligue 1 pays tribute to one of French football’s most enduring icons.
Born in Chambéry in 1986, Giroud’s path to the top was anything but straightforward. He began in Ligue 2 with Grenoble before finding his scoring touch at Tours FC. His rise was steady rather than spectacular — but perseverance has always been his trademark.
The turning point came with his move to Montpellier HSC in 2010. Across two unforgettable seasons in Hérault, Giroud established himself as one of the most complete strikers in the league. Powerful in the air, intelligent with his movement, and technically gifted, he struck 21 goals in the 2011/12 campaign to fire La Paillade to their first-ever Ligue 1 McDonald's title.
That triumph remains one of the greatest fairy tales in modern French football — and Giroud was its talisman. His success with Montpellier opened the door to an international career at the very highest level.
📊 At a glance: Olivier Giroud
Date of birth: 30 September 1986 (Chambéry, France)
Ligue 1 club: Montpellier HSC (2010–2012), Lille (2025-)
Ligue 1 record: 73 appearances, 33 goals
Ligue 1 titles: 1 (2011/12 with Montpellier)
France record: 137 caps, 57 goals (all-time top scorer)
Major honours: FIFA World Cup (2018), UEFA Nations League (2021), UEFA Champions League (2021), Serie A (2022)
In the years since, Giroud has worn the colours of Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan, and Los Angeles FC, collecting trophies wherever he has gone. Yet his defining achievements came with France. Since debuting for Les Bleus in 2011, he has gone on to score 57 international goals — more than any other player in French history. Now, the Frenchman is back on home soil, representing Lille OSC, and has already scored twice and earned a Man of the Match award in his first five appearances for Les Dogues.
World Cup glory in 2018, a UEFA Nations League title in 2021, and a runner-up medal at Qatar 2022 have cemented his reputation as one of the most reliable and selfless forwards of his generation. More than just a goalscorer, Giroud’s tactical intelligence and work for the team have made him a favourite of every coach he has worked under, from René Girard to Didier Deschamps.
As he celebrates his 39th birthday, Giroud remains active at the top level, continuing to inspire by combining professionalism, humility, and a never-say-die mentality. For aspiring forwards across Ligue 1, his journey from Grenoble to global glory is proof that determination and hard work can take you all the way.
Joyeux anniversaire, Olivier! 🎂🇫🇷⚽
READ MORE:
>>Florian Thauvin: A Golden Renaissance
