Four Four Two - UK (2021-12)

Now at Milan following his summer

switch from Chelsea, the 35-year-old

is in excellent spirits as he answers FFT

readers’ questions about title victories,

scorpion kick goals... and, of course, his

coveted haircare secrets.

You had to work your way up through

the lower leagues in France. Did you

always believe, even back then, that

you would make it to the top?

Donal J O’Driscoll, via Facebook

I always had a feeling that there was

a good star above my head, if I can

say something like that. I’m religious,

and believe that human beings create

their own path and the Lord will set

the pace. For me, it was just a different

pace to some of the other players, who

signed professional contracts at 17 or

18 and then played at the top level

straightaway. It was a different path,

but it’s now the path of many other

players. In my book, I wanted to show

the kids that no matter what happens,

no matter what people say, it’s always

important to overcome them and keep

believing in yourself. [FFT: What kind

of memories do you have from that

time?] Well, it was definitely different

football. [Laughs] When I turned pro

aged 19, I was still going to university.

I wanted to stay in touch with people

from other backgrounds and was also

learning sports sciences – I wanted

to maintain that link with my studies.

Eventually it just wasn’t possible when

I signed on loan with Istres in the third

division, so I had to stop. I needed to

make the decision to concentrate on

my football career.

Those days were very special, though.

I was alone for the first time, far from

my family, cooking, and washing my

own clothes. I was really grateful that

I could stay with my family even until

that age, however, because some kids

had to leave when they were 13 or 14.

I’m proud of the different steps of my

career from that time, as I met some

great people and know where I come

from. It helped me a lot.

Your manager at Grenoble, Mehmed

Bazdarevic, said you weren’t good

enough to play at the top level. How

did that make you feel?

Louis Matthews, Hendon

It’s funny now, though it wasn’t at the

time – because it wasn’t obvious then

that I would become the player I did.

I have no resentment about what he

said, but I do feel that even if it was

the reality then, you can’t say that to

a 20-year-old. You’re just putting them

down and not encouraging them to

grab their destiny. It was very tough.

But it’s a prime example of staying

motivated even in a difficult situation.

A few years later, at Montpellier [left],

I played against Bazdarevic’s Sochaux

in Ligue 1 and scored a hat-trick when

we were top of the league. At the end

of the game, he simply said, “He’s an

amazing player.” I think that was the

best answer I could have given him.

How high does winning Ligue 1 with

Montpellier in 2011-12 rank among

your honours?

Emilio Martinez Baniela, via Facebook

There was another stage between

that, don’t forget, because I had two

years at Tours in the second division.

I’ve always gone step by step in my

career, because that’s how I believed

I could improve and get game time.

I played with Laurent Koscielny for the

first time at Tours, and we were really

close to winning promotion to Ligue 1.

Actually, we played our 37th game of

Interview Joe Brewin

“Proving people wrong is the story

of my life. The media always tried

to pit me against Karim Benzema.

I was upset at first, then I’d laugh”

OLIVIER GIROUD

YOU ASK

THE

QUESTIOnS

W

hen you’ve lived Olivier

Giroud’s life, it’s probably

natural to think a higher

power is guiding you.

Shortly before his 22nd birthday,

having just spent a year on loan in the

third tier, the Chambery native was

told that he didn’t have what it takes

to play in Ligue 1. Three years later

he was a France international; a year

after that, a Ligue 1 champion and

Golden Boot winner with unfancied

Montpellier; and a year after that,

a Champions League footballer with

Arsenal. In 2018 came the pinnacle:

winning the World Cup with Les Bleus,

following a domestic season in which

he had been forced to move clubs to

find regular football.

And that represents Giroud’s career

in microcosm. The forward has been

worshipped and scorned at club level,

revered and jeered for his country,

and each time he has responded with

goals and a shrug as if asking what

more he could do. Only four players in

history have won more caps for the

French men’s team; only one – Thierry

Henry – has scored more goals.

As is clear in his new autobiography,

Always Believe, Giroud’s Christian faith

has been an ever-present source of

strength in a career that has regularly

required it. The many trophies he has

won would suggest it’s worked for him.

6 December 2021 FourFourTwo