Olivier Giroud has become a great part of Stefano Pioli's AC Milan especially when Zlatan Ibrahimovic is absent due to the numerous physical problems that he had to suffer this season.
The French centre-forward, formerly playing for Chelsea and Arsenal, spoke about his Italian DNA and the arrival to Italy and Milan in a lengthy interview to L'Equipe:
"I didn't invent anything, it's just that there hadn't been the opportunity. Now was the right time. Giroud obviously doesn't sound Italian, but my two grandmothers do. Yvonne Avogadro, my father's mother, is from Bergamo. Antonia, my mother's mother comes from this small village in the Northeast."
On Grenoble, where he is from (where there are many Italians):
"I was taught that Savoy had been annexed by Italy for a time, so they tell me that I was already a little Italian."
On his love for the Italy's national team:
"I was 20 years old, I had grown my hair long, I wanted to be like Cannavaro or Nesta. My brother gave me the Squadra Azzurra jersey, the very tight one made by Kappa with this magnificent sky blue. Moreover, since France was not there, I supported Italy at the 1994 World Cup and I cried when Roberto Baggio missed his shot on goal in the final. On the other hand, concerning that of 2006, I was 100% for the Blues."
The love to the country was transmitted to him by Giroud's grandmother Antonia, where he stopped every day to have a snack on his way back from school:
"Paradoxically, it was she who taught me the Marseillaise (France national anthem). I really liked listening to her talk about her childhood and also about the war. She explained to me that she had suffered from being an immigrant, that she had had to find her place and that she was proud to be the leader of her class. Every morning, they hoisted the French flag while singing the anthem."
Giroud on his arrival to Serie A and Milan:
"It was quite inevitable given my history. I came close to committing to Inter, but God made it right. I had to wait a little bit, be patient and I won the Champions League (with Chelsea in 2021) in the meantime. I had gone around the question in the Premier League even if it is the most challenging Championship for fifteen years. When I spoke with my agent, I did not see myself in Spain or Germany and a return to France was not my priority. Milan was the icing on the cake!"
On conquering the San Siro:
"I always said my dream was to play in England, because I supported the Frenchies of Arsenal. But, in Italy, it was Milan! Andrei Shevchenko was my favorite striker. I also watched a lot of Marco van Basten videos. I have a striking memory of the Champions League finals against Liverpool. I was very sad in 2005, they were leading 3-0, they came back and "Cheva" missed the decisive penalty in the penalty shootout. In 2007, they won it, they came back even stronger, that's a great club. This Milan was Italian class, always well-groomed, beautiful as a whole rossonero, but also very professional. I am thinking of Maldini, Costacurta, and many other exceptional players", said Giroud.
From Paolo Maldini, a player until 2019 to becoming a director in 2019:
"It pained me to see the club in this situation with Juventus well ahead. In my humble opinion, when Milan was not competitive, there was one person missing at the club, which turned out to be Paolo Maldini. He is an ultra-present leader, he is there every day in training, that means that the coach is doing his job, but the management is also there to watch. That's an institution, nothing is left to chance. In fact, a player cannot say that he is not playing because the coach does not like him. If he is good in training and is competitive, the technical director sees it. And for me, that's a great thing, because I train like I play, 100%."
On settling down quickly at Milanello:
"From day one, I spoke Italian. I had the basics from my lessons 20 years ago. But, I didn't take private lessons. I wanted to practice immediately. The trap, as could also be the case at Arsenal and Chelsea, is finding balance between French or French-speaking people, you have to find the right balance. The coach (Stefano Pioli) wants us to speak Italian during the match so that everyone understands each other."
On living in London:
"Paris, London, it's the same fight, it's going at 100 an hour, metro, work sleeping. Here, it's quieter, it's cultural: "Chi va piano, va sano, va lontano." ("Who wants to travel far, take care of his horse") I like to bring this one out, because that's what my grandmother used to tell me. We take the time to drink an espresso at the bar, it's important. I don't regret the weather in London or the time spent on the road. I am clearly a winner while still living in a dynamic and international city."
Giroud added:
"A lifestyle suiting my family and children in Milano? My wife would scold me if I said that, because there are so many small things to do in London. My son, who plays football, is starting to speak Italian: "Passa la palla!" This Italian experience will stay with them. This Italian experience will stay with them."
On his faith:
"There are also many believers in England but, here, I see a lot of players who show their faiths before games. It is something I appreciate. At Easter, we had a barbecue together with our families, we respect religious traditions."
On scoring a brace in the derby to win it:
"I couldn't have dreamed of a better scenario, the scenario of the match, my first derby, I scored in front of the Curva Sud: it allowed me to quickly get into the hearts of the Milan fans."
Giroud suffered this season: Covid-19, back problems and not scoring in Champions League:
"I was at 70%, when you know what this competition represents for this club... We have a taste of unfinished business, we lost our matches by a goal difference (four times) , I can't wait to come back next year."
On Serie A:
"I was pleasantly surprised by the intensity of training and some matches against some teams in particular. I like to run, but sometimes I end up really burned. Serie A became competitive again. There is no longer one team only like when it used to be the case with Juventus."
Giroud on Stefano Pioli:
"I didn't know him very well, but, from our first phone call, I understood that it was going to match. He makes his team work well tactically. He is also a manager who knows how to get the best out of his players. The way he speaks to us, it couldn't be more clear. He's a real, whole person. When he speaks, it comes from the heart, from the depths of himself. Everything he says, he says with sincerity. It reminds me of the grinta that René Girard wanted to instill in us in Montpellier. I have always liked coaches who are emotional, this was not the case with Wenger who had countless other qualities."
On the objective:
"There was work! I did not claim to play for the title and the objective was a new qualification for the Champions League. But we are Milan, with the positive results that we chained, quickly, in my head, the objective became the Scudetto then."
