American soccer changed dramatically last summer when Lionel Messi, a World Cup and Champions League winner, made his stateside debut with Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup. Messi’s arrival galvanized Miami and helped it win the 2023 Leagues Cup trophy before narrowly missing out on the MLS Cup playoffs a few months later.
This summer, American soccer is set for another seismic shift brought on by another World Cup and Champions League winner.
That winner? Olivier Giroud. He signed with Western Conference side Los Angeles FC early this year and made his official debut on Tuesday in the knockout round of the Leagues Cup.
It’s easy to assume that Giroud, a celebrated attacker coming to America in the twilight of his career, is simply following in Messi’s footsteps. But Giroud is anything but a follower: he’s built his brand on idiosyncratic play, operating as a true target man in a sport that doesn’t offer many.
Giroud is not part of the Messi narrative. He’s here in the States to write his own story — and that story hits closer to home than many think.
Giroud, a father of young kids, hasn’t been shy about his desire to play competitive soccer while maintaining a healthy balance between work and family. He specifically sought out LAFC because of the club’s support of athlete families; his French national teammate Hugo Lloris is thought to have piqued his interest after relaying stories about his LAFC experiences.
Sure enough, as the whistle blew on Giroud’s LAFC debut, his family was right there with him, ready to celebrate on the field.
“I love it,” Giroud said of the new environment. “Because in Europe, it’s a bit different. Sometimes we can bring the kids in a dressing room, but it’s not common to have them on a pitch to celebrate with them.
“The alchemy with all the kids as a player and the crowd, the fans, it’s such a great feeling. It makes you understand that you’ve arrived in a proper family. It’s the life I was looking for and I’m very happy–you can see it in my smile.”
MLS’ family-friendly atmosphere isn’t often celebrated by soccer fans. In fact, it’s often held up as a reason why the league isn’t as “serious” as its European counterparts. But for athletes like Giroud, long concerned about the safety and well-being of their families in hyper-aggressive European sporting environments, it’s a clear selling point.
The familial love didn’t stop Giroud and LAFC from destroying their opponents on the field: they pulled off an impressive 4-1 win over California rivals the San Jose Earthquakes to book their spot in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals. Giroud only played for a few minutes, but coach Steve Cherundolo believes that he’s primed for big things in the States.
“He knows where to be and where to go,” Cherundolo said of Giroud. “We’ve seen it in training already. He’s going to score goals.”
Giroud and LAFC will continue their Leagues Cup journey against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday. They’ll return to MLS play on Aug. 24, where they are strong contenders for a deep MLS Cup run.
