Olivier Giroud says Zlatan Ibrahimovic immediately made it clear who was in charge when the French forward joined AC Milan.
Speaking to L’Equipe on his 40th birthday on 30 September, Giroud recalled Ibrahimovic’s message after welcoming him to the club.
“He said directly: ‘It’s good you’re here, but remember, there’s only one king here, and that’s me,’” said Giroud.
“He’s a person with an incredibly strong personality; it’s very rare to know him.”
Giroud also reflected on a career that has taken him from Montpellier to Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan and the France national team.
He said he would challenge Davide Ancelotti for more opportunities at Arsenal after starting the last three matches on the bench.
“Of course! He always says we can play together, but in the last three games, I’ve been on the bench. He shouldn’t think I’m happy about that,” Giroud said, laughing.
“But I’m thrilled to be going to Arsenal, it’s fantastic, honestly, I’ve always dreamed of this.”
Asked which team-mates and opponents had left the biggest impression on him, Giroud highlighted Santi Cazorla at Arsenal, praising the Spaniard’s ability with both feet.
“At Arsenal: Cazorlahis left and right foot technique was extremely outstanding, truly talented,” he said.
At Chelsea, he named Eden Hazard, Willian, Pedro and Cesc Fabregas, whose football intelligence he compared with Cazorla’s.
Giroud also recalled the intensity of training matches against David Luiz and Laurent Koscielny, despite being friends with the latter.
“I really didn’t like playing against him,” he said of Koscielny.
Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta were described as “ironclad warriors”, while Giroud said Rafael Leao had shown huge talent during his time at AC Milan.
“It’s a shame he didn’t reach the heights he should have,” he added.
Giroud rejected the idea that he had been football’s “chosen one”, as Kylian Mbappe once suggested.
He said Mbappe had followed a very different path, becoming a World Cup winner at 19, France captain at 25 and an established star with a remarkable record.
“As for me, I had to fight for everything myself, although Mbappe also put in immense effort,” Giroud said.
The forward described his journey as a source of pride and said it had exceeded his childhood ambitions. He won the World Cup with France and made 137 appearances for his country, scoring 57 goals.
“The first time I wore the French national team jersey, it felt incredibly heavy,” he said. “The first time the Marseillaise played, goosebumps ran all over me.”
Giroud said he first met Ethan Mbappe at France’s hotel in Istra during the 2018 Russia World Cup, when Ethan was 13. He added that there was little generational distance between him and younger players apart from music and fashion.
His advice to them is to avoid rushing their development, enjoy football and make sure they have no regrets.
Giroud, who won Ligue 1 with Montpellier in 2012, said young players now expect progress more quickly than in the past.
“As a player, this is very likely my last season, so I’m cherishing every moment,” he said.
