Some say it means greed, others simply believe it is the required hunger for more success that makes an individual want to continue pushing for more even after considerable success. Olivier Giroud certainly is in the latter faction.
The French striker simply does not see the need to retire from international football if there is no compelling reason to. Giroud was part of the France team that won the World Cup in Russia last summer, and despite receiving a lot of backlash for not scoring a goal in the entire tournament, he has been backed by his head coach Didier Deschamps.
His teammates do not seem to have problems with his failure to get goals, and all seems fine. Why retire now?
The Chelsea striker, who is yet to score a goal at club level as well this season insists he will keep making himself available for selection at international level until the younger ones push him out.
“The guys at Chelsea – notably Antonio Rudiger – have said to me: ‘Why do you carry on? You are on a high, on top of the world and you will soon be 32’. But it would have been too easy to leave like that. I feel that I am still good enough. I can bring something to the team.
So if the coach feels the same thing, I will be available. I know too well how much I am going to miss football after my career for me to put up my own barriers. So I am going to make the most of every chance because, obviously, I am closer to the end than the start. There is a risk that the youngsters will push me out of the door. It will maybe happen like that. It is maybe even better. But I am a competitor.”
Olivier Giroud, Evening Standard
