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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)
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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.”

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Afghan Masomah ‘Proud’ to Be a Voice for Refugees at Olympics 

Afghan cyclist Masomah Ali Reza, leader of the refugee team for the Paris Olympics, poses at the COJO headquarters in Saint Denis on June 19, 2024. (AFP)
Afghan cyclist Masomah Ali Reza, leader of the refugee team for the Paris Olympics, poses at the COJO headquarters in Saint Denis on June 19, 2024. (AFP)
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Afghan Masomah ‘Proud’ to Be a Voice for Refugees at Olympics 

Afghan cyclist Masomah Ali Reza, leader of the refugee team for the Paris Olympics, poses at the COJO headquarters in Saint Denis on June 19, 2024. (AFP)
Afghan cyclist Masomah Ali Reza, leader of the refugee team for the Paris Olympics, poses at the COJO headquarters in Saint Denis on June 19, 2024. (AFP)

Masomah Ali Zada is "proud" to represent "all those who have been forced to flee their country" in her role as chef de mission of the Refugee team at the Paris Olympics, she told AFP.

The 28-year-old Afghan has transferred seamlessly from Olympic cyclist for the Refugee team at the Tokyo 2020 Games to a managerial role and will be "the spokesperson for the 120 million displaced people round the world."

Masomah will be in charge of 36 athletes hailing from 11 countries and competing across 12 sports at the Games which run from July 26 to August 11.

"It fills me with great pride and is an immense honor to represent, along with this unique and special team, those people who have been obliged to flee their country," Masomah told AFP, speaking in French in a round of interviews at the Paris Games organizers' headquarters to commemorate United Nations Refugees Day.

Masomah has achieved a lot in the eight years since she arrived in France, gaining the right of asylum after being refused a visa in her first application and she recently obtained her masters in civil engineering at Lille University.

Masomah can relate to the refugees having been one herself -- she lived in Iran from the age of two to 10 before returning to Afghanistan.

"I know what it is to be a refugee," said Masomah, her eyes highlighted by eyeliner and her head covered by a black veil.

"I had bad experiences, which led me to wonder whether I would ever be respected and it posed a lot of questions over my future."

Masomah acknowledges she is in a better position than her female compatriots back in Afghanistan.

"When I compare my situation here, in France, where I can live and travel on my own, to that of Afghanistan-based women... I am sad and disappointed to be unable to do anything for them," said a visibly emotional Masomah.

- 'Any dream is possible' -

Afghanistan will have a six-member team in Paris, three men and three women, after intense talks between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Afghan National Olympic Committee.

The latter has told AFP that all but one of the six team members are based outside the country.

"I am so happy there will be three Afghan women and they will be equal with the men," said Masomah, who added she will go along to cheer them on in their events.

Masomah said she experienced abuse and stigma when out on her bike in Afghanistan after she returned from Iran.

She said people would hurl stones and insults at her as she cycled at great speed around Kabul, but it only served to spur her on and she made the national team aged just 16.

"I grew up amid great inequality and insecurity," she said.

"We lived in fear, but when I got on my bike, I felt free. I forgot about problems.

"I had the impression I was empowered, when in Afghanistan one thinks women are incapable of doing certain things," said Masomah, who finally left the country due to the hostility from the conservative elements of Afghan society.

Masomah, though, is keen to pursue a career in sport and one would not bet against her succeeding given how far her determination and courage has brought her so far.

"You must work really hard to fulfil your dream," she said.

"I had to put in three times the effort of a French student: between learning the language, the university courses, and the sport."

The fulfilment of her dream bore fruit in Tokyo.

"I lived my dream when the crowd cried out my name," said Masomah, who came last in the time-trial, one of the rare events, due to Covid restrictions, which spectators were permitted to attend.

"After that I said to myself any dream is possible to realize because I was there."