Giroud celebrates his 40th birthday with barely any ligaments left in his right ankle

Olivier Giroud turned 40 this Wednesday, and the picture he paints of his body is as eloquent as his trophy cabinet. In an interview with L’Équipe, the LOSC striker detailed the treatments that allow him to keep going week after week.

“Just yesterday, I had injections to help my joints, whether it’s hyaluronic acid or cortisone to recover, to dry things out in case of inflammation,” he confided. His right ankle is the most affected: “I’ve got almost no ligaments left on the right one, so it’s swollen.” His young Lille teammates, intrigued by the swelling, reportedly asked him why he had “a tennis ball at his right ankle.” His answer, with a smile: “It’s an ankle that’s 40 years old.” Add to that chronic lower back pain and a knee that underwent meniscectomy at 19 and “squeaks a bit.”

Despite this physical assessment, Giroud refuses to accept the substitute role imposed on him by Davide Ancelotti since the arrival of Ayase Ueda. Over the last three matches, he hasn’t left the bench. “He keeps saying we can both play, but I’m not going to settle for that,” he warned, hoping in particular to start when LOSC travel to Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in the Ligue des Champions: “I’m so happy to go to the Emirates, I’ve been dreaming of it.”

The former Arsenal player also confirmed that the current season will very likely be the last of his career. “That’s why I’m making the most of every moment,” he added. At 40 years old, between injections and intact ambitions, Giroud is holding up — but at what cost.