EXCLUDED EUROPE 1: "The story is not over", Olivier Giroud reveals want to continue with the Blues

Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin, with Jean-François Pérès and Céline Géraud 18:58 pm, March 21, 2023

He is now the new dean of the football France team. Selected by Didier Deschamps for the Euro 2024 qualifiers, Olivier Giroud extends his adventure with the Blues where other players of his generation have chosen to retire like Steve Mandanda or Karim Benzema. The 36-year-old AC Milan striker said on the Europe 1 Sport show (every night from 20 p.m. to 23 p.m. live on Europe 1) that he does not want to stop anytime soon with the national team despite the arrival of a new generation.

"It's always a pleasure to be with this team, with Les Bleus in Clairefontaine. The story is not not over, I still want to," he announced exclusively at the microphone of Jean-François Pérès and Céline Géraud. The top scorer in the history of the France team wants to continue to "bring his stone to the building". And the upcoming deadlines will not be lacking for the one who is now nicknamed "the big brother" by his teammates in blue. Starting with Friday's match against the Netherlands (to be followed live and in full in Europe 1 Sport).

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For "my children"

The World Cup in Qatar, last December, could have marked the end of Giroud in the tricolor jersey. But the striker decided otherwise despite the recommendations of his family and friends: "I asked myself the question, it's quite logical, especially since relatives told me: 'Here, end like this'. It was ideal to stop after a final, a successful World Cup with this record broken," he explained. Olivier Giroud did not want to imitate his closest faithful in the France team like Hugo Lloris or Blaise Matuidi. He did not wish to be "guided by the fact that close friends stop the selection, players with whom (he) spent more than ten years", even if it "made him think".

His children, too, participated in this choice. He even says it: they are the ones who pushed him to continue: "I want to give pleasure to my children," delivered exclusively the top scorer of the Blues in Europe 1 Sport. Finally, it is the "heart" that spoke for the striker of the Blues who does not have the head at all to the international retirement.

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Euro 2024, and more if affinity?

Olivier Giroud has not yet set a limit. He intends to extend the adventure in the tricolor jersey at least until Euro 2024 to be held from June 14 to July 14 in Germany. Another event that the Milan striker could aim for: the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: "I had not thought about it," is surprised the protégé of Didier Deschamps who could thus consider making himself available to participate in the competition. As a reminder, three players over the age of 23 can play with their national team for football at the Olympics.

"It would be great to play in the Olympics, to participate in the Olympics for my country, obviously. It's something that was missing from my record," said Olivier Giroud. But for now, the former Arsenal striker is looking ahead to Friday's match against the Netherlands in Euro 2024 qualifying.