The newest version of the French Connection to make it big in LA has already been to the sacred summit of world soccer. In 2018, domineering striker Olivier Giroud and surehanded goalkeeper Hugo Lloris helped France win their second World Cup while knocking out pesky Croatia in the FIFA Final.
Now these Frenchmen Giroud and Lloris proudly wear the menacing black uniforms of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) as they prepare to battle the Seattle Sounders on November 23 in the Western Conference Semifinals of MLS.
The Last Stop for Giroux: LAFC
Olivier Giroud is certainly no soccer slouch, even though LA will probably be the last stop in his glittering career. The towering attacker turned 38 on September 30 as he boasts a resume replete with spells at some of the globe’s biggest clubs, like Arsenal, Chelsea, and AC Milan.
Giroud is also France’s all-time leading scorer, racking up 57 goals with Les Bleus. He helped lead his clubs to four FA Cup wins, one championship each in France’s Ligue 1 and Italy’s Serie A, and the rugged 2020-21 Champions League with the Chelsea Blues. The jury is still out on whether “The Phoenix” (a nickname he earned at his first pro club, Grenoble, for a scrappy player who never gives up and always gets the job done) can play as well in black as in blue.
There Are ‘Frenchies’ in La La Land
How has it been for this top hitman to adjust to the lifestyle in the City of Angels? “There’s so much different here, but I love the lifestyle. My kids have the opportunity to play football and go swimming after school. I’m lucky enough to have a swimming pool at home, and I put together some goals so they can play football. They really enjoy their life, and so do I. I’m very sociable. I like to meet people. I already have a few friends living in LA, so therefore the adaptation was quite quick. Plus, I have some ‘Frenchies,’ some guys who can speak French,” Olivier Giroud joked in an interview with the Guardian.
The MLS news that came from Giroud’s former running mate, super striker Zlatan Ibrahimović, originally from Sweden, was all good. Ibra had his way with MLS defenses during his two seasons playing for LAFC’s crosstown rivals, the LA Galaxy, where he netted a ridiculous 52 goals. Shortly into his stint on the California coast, Olivier already knows all about the enemy from “the wrong side of LA” who could well be LAFC’s next playoff opponent, assuming the former find a way past the stubborn Sounders.
“When I told him that I wanted to play for LAFC, he told me, ‘In MLS, you will enjoy it.’ It’s a good championship for the strikers, because sometimes there are more open spaces, and you can have more chances to score goals. He was happy for me because he really enjoyed his years in MLS,” Giroud said of his exchange with Zlatan.
Not Another Time Zone!
As opposed to the freewheeling attacking style of MLS, great for fans and strikers alike, the downside has to be navigating all the airports, the friendly skies, and the multiple time zones in North America that cover the four corners of the league, and everything in between, from LA to Vancouver to Miami and Montreal.
Giroud claims that travel is simply “massive” in MLS. He didn’t immediately clarify if it was a massive concern, headache, or pleasure. But the current 20 hours of flying a month, compared to the cozy distances in Europe (where the longest trip Giroux took was two hours to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the Europa League final), are tough on tired legs.
In order for all those frequent flyer miles not to take their toll, Olivier Giroud stresses the need to be more professional in his recovery, eating and sleeping well, and seeking the treatments required to keep fit. If only those treatments could guarantee goals, as Giroud’s scoring rate lags far behind that of his ex-Galaxy pal Zlatan.
Olivier Giroud Loves The Competition
But the part of the French Connection that arrived in LA first after 11 years playing for English giants Tottenham Hotspur, Hugo Lloris, speaks candidly of the phoenix-like nature of mate Olivier Giroud.
“There were a lot of question marks many times in his career, but he always proved to others they were wrong. Sometimes even in the national team, he always scored important goals when people started to lose a bit of faith in him. He’s got a huge mentality. He’s ready to fight every time. He loves the competition. It’s a great example for young players,” Lloris enthused.
Do the men in black from LAFC have what it takes to sweep past Seattle and possibly stare down the LA Galaxy bad guys in the last western showdown before the grand MLS final on December 7? Lloris will surely be between the posts, and at some point, possibly late in a tight game, Olivier Giroud will be called on to billow the net cords.
“Sometimes you face difficulties, and it’s hard to get back to the top. I’ve seen a lot of players giving up. But what Olivier proved during all of his career is this facility to always bounce back, and that’s amazing. I think it’s great to have him here,” Lloris gushed. Obviously, Hugo himself is a big believer in the legend of the phoenix, rising yet again from the ashes.
