France’s All-Time Leading Scorer Olivier Giroud Plans to End International Career After Euro 

AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud waves to fans after winning 3-0 the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Lecce at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on April 6, 2024. (AFP)
AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud waves to fans after winning 3-0 the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Lecce at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on April 6, 2024. (AFP)
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France’s All-Time Leading Scorer Olivier Giroud Plans to End International Career After Euro 

AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud waves to fans after winning 3-0 the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Lecce at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on April 6, 2024. (AFP)
AC Milan's French forward #09 Olivier Giroud waves to fans after winning 3-0 the Italian Serie A football match between AC Milan and Lecce at San Siro Stadium, in Milan on April 6, 2024. (AFP)

France's all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud says he plans to end his international career after the European Championship next month.

The 37-year-old forward has scored 57 goals in 131 matches for France. He was part of the France squad that won the 2018 World Cup and has been selected to play at the Euros.

“To be honest, this will be my last competition with Les Bleus. Obviously, I’m going to miss it a lot,” Giroud told L’Equipe in an interview published late Thursday. “We need to make way for the youngsters.”

Giroud recently signed a deal to play in the MLS with Los Angeles FC, leaving Europe after 18 years in the top professional leagues in France, England and Italy. Giroud joined LAFC from AC Milan with a contract through 2025. The deal includes an option for 2026.

“I’m also feeling physical and mental fatigue,” Giroud told L'Equipe. “I’ve always said I was going to stop when my body asked me to. I think I’ve got two good years left. But as far as the French team is concerned, I think that’ll be the end of it.”

Giroud is best known for his six prolific seasons at Arsenal from 2012-18, followed by three years apiece at Chelsea and Milan. He has scored 285 goals in 716 matches during his club career while winning a wealth of trophies, including a Champions League triumph with Chelsea three years ago. He also won the French league title with Montpellier back in 2012, and the Italian league with Milan 10 years later.

The European Championship begins next month in Germany. France, which has won the tournament twice, is in a group with Austria, the Netherlands and Poland.

“It’s really the desire to go as far as possible in the competition with this generation that drives me,” Giroud said when asked about his objective at the Euro. “If I win, apart from the Premier League, which is very difficult to win, I could say I’ve won everything... I’m also hearing a lot about reaching the 60-goal mark for the national team. But it’s not an obsession.”



Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
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Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)

Belgium and Kevin De Bruyne face Slovakia to start their European Championship program on Monday in Group E. Also in the group are Romania and Ukraine. Kickoff in Frankfurt is at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT). Here’s what to know about the match.

Match facts:

— There is a strong Italian influence on the game. Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona is Italian, and was the interim coach since February at Napoli where he had been an assistant to Mauricio Sarri. Belgium’s 38-year-old coach Domenico Tedesco was born in Italy though is a citizen of Germany having grown up there.

— Slovakia is at its third straight Euro as an independent nation, all since the tournament was expanded to 24 teams. Slovakia reached the round of 16 in 2016 losing 3-0 to Germany. As half of the former Czechoslovakia it won the 1976 title.

— Belgium was the beaten finalist in 1980, losing to West Germany.

— The teams never met in a competitive game and last played a friendly against each other 11 years ago. A Belgium team featuring a 21-year-old De Bruyne beat Slovakia 2-1 in Brugge.

Team news:

— Belgium left arguably the world’s best goalkeeper at home. That’s despite Thibaut Courtois proving his fitness helping Real Madrid win the Champions League final. Courtois has been in dispute with Tedesco reportedly after not getting the captaincy for a game last year.

— Belgium has injuries in defense with doubts over Axel Witsel. Veteran Jan Vertonghen and Arthur Theate are both expected to be unavailable. Zeno Debast, just 20, and Maxim De Cuyper could get their chance.

— Slovakia’s lineup could include Peter Pekarík and Juraj Kucka. At age 37 they are Slovakia’s oldest ever players. They also are the last remaining members of the 2010 World Cup squad that beat and eliminated defending champion Italy in the group stage.

By the numbers:

— Belgium is still ranked No. 3 by FIFA despite not advancing out of its group at the 2022 World Cup. Belgium has a seven-year run in the top five, including atop the ranking from 2018 through 2021. Slovakia is No. 48.

— Romelu Lukaku’s record 85 goals for Belgium, aged just 31, is more than the top three Slovakia scorers combined since it became an independent soccer nation in 1994. Marek Hamsik, who retired last year and is now an assistant coach, leads with 26.

— Belgium captain De Bruyne made his 100th appearance for the Red Devils last week, scoring in a 2-0 warmup win against Montenegro.

— Slovakia gave up the fastest goal in the history of men's international soccer in March. It took just six seconds for Austria's Christoph Baumgartner to dribble the ball direct from the center spot and shoot past goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

What they’re saying:

— “Belgium has a lot of fantastic individuals. Take De Bruyne, (Jérémy) Doku, Lukaku, (Leandro) Trossard, all of them are huge players. Belgium has two or three top players playing in top clubs in each position.” — Slovakia midfielder Stanislav Lobotka

— “Since the 2022 World Cup, he has had to build a completely new team with a lot of younger players, so everything had to be adjusted to his philosophy of playing.” — Kevin De Bruyne on coach Domenico Tedesco