Giroud Signs With Lille After Leaving LAFC, Ends 13-Year Ligue 1 Absence

‎Olivier Giroud is set to return to French football for the first time since 2012 after signing a one-year contract with Ligue 1 club Lille on Tuesday.

‎The 38-year-old, France’s all-time leading goalscorer, departed MLS side Los Angeles FC last week.

‎Giroud scored five goals in 37 matches for LAFC and featured in all three matches for the U.S. side during their Club World Cup campaign.

‎Giroud’s last stint in France’s top division was with Montpellier, where he won the 2011-12 Ligue 1 title before transferring to Arsenal.

‎He spent five-and-a-half years at Arsenal, netting 105 goals in 253 appearances and securing the FA Cup three times before moving to fellow Premier League club Chelsea.

‎A 2018 World Cup champion with France, Giroud also played a key role in Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League victory.

‎Later that summer, he joined AC Milan and contributed to their successful Scudetto-winning season.

‎”I’m very happy and excited to be back in France, home,” Giroud said in a statement.

‎”It made perfect sense to return to Ligue 1 13 years after leaving it. I’ve always considered Lille a top French club.

‎”It’s a young and talented squad, which needs experienced players like me. So I’ll also be there in that role.”

‎Giroud retired from international football last year with a record 57 goals in 137 appearances for France and won the 2018 World Cup with the national team.

‎Giroud left LAFC after their exit from the Club World Cup, which saw them draw one game and lose two in the group stage.

‎Currently, they sit seventh in the MLS Western Conference standings, although they have several games in hand thanks to their participation in FIFA’s summer tournament.

‎Lille secured a spot in the 2025-26 Europa League by finishing fifth in Ligue 1 during the 2024-25 season.

‎They also reached the last 16 of the 2024-25 Champions League, with notable victories over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid during their campaign.