At 40 years old, Olivier Giroud is balancing a dual role at LOSC Lille as both a mentor to newcomer Ayase Ueda and an active competitor for a starting spot in the attack. The former France international, who celebrated his milestone birthday recently, continues to play in Ligue 1 out of a sustained love for the game despite a career that has spanned Arsenal, Chelsea, and top European stages.
LOSC Lille Invests in Ayase Ueda Following Pro League and Eredivisie Exploits
Ueda previously made his mark in Belgium with Cercle Brugge, where he netted 22 goals, before raising his output to 26 goals during his stint with Feyenoord in the Eredivisie. The forward has maintained that scoring touch since arriving in northern France, netting two goals across his first three Ligue 1 appearances alongside a goal on his UEFA Champions League debut.
Olivier Giroud Embraces the Older Brother Role in Lille’s Dressing Room
Despite the arrival of an expensive direct competitor, Giroud has stepped into an informal mentorship role to help Ueda settle into the club and region. In an interview with L’Équipe marking his 40th birthday, Giroud detailed how he assisted the new signing with practical matters such as housing searches and shared past experiences playing alongside Japanese teammates during his career, including stints involving Grenoble and an Arsenal preseason tour in Japan.
When Ayase arrives, I ask him if he’s found a house. Then we talked about the Japanese with whom I played at Grenoble,
Giroud told L’Équipe.
Giroud Warns Competitors He Will Not Yield His Spot Easily
While Giroud actively assists Ueda off the pitch to help Lille reach peak form quickly, the veteran striker made it clear that his helpfulness does not extend to gifting away playing time. The coaching staff has noted the possibility of deploying both forwards together, but Giroud insists he has no intention of stepping into a purely ceremonial supporting role.
Attention, even if I’m 40, the coach knows that I’m not here just to accompany the others,
Giroud said. He keeps saying that we can play both. He must not believe that I’m going to be satisfied with that. I’m not going to let go and give him a hard time on the weekend.
Next Checkpoint in Ligue 1
LOSC Lille returns to competitive action in Ligue 1 play this weekend as the club manages its squad rotation between domestic fixtures and European commitments.
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