On September 30, Giroud celebrated his 40th birthday. For the occasion, the French striker gave an exclusive interview to L'Équipe. In the third part of the interview (which was divided into four parts due to its length), he reflected on his experiences at Arsenal and Chelsea.

At what point did you feel your career truly took off?

Joining Arsenal in 2012. The 2011-12 season at Montpellier was one of the best of my career; it elevated me to another level. Coming to Arsenal, I truly stepped into a big club, experiencing high standards and excellent facilities. I even played my second game at Anfield, and the fans created a chant for me using the tune of "Hey Jude." At the time, I didn't fully react, but I was deeply moved (laughs).

However, your experience in England wasn't always smooth. The Daily Mail once wrote that Chelsea "would rather choose an invisible man than Batman," with Batman being Batshuayi's nickname at the time. There was also a saying: "Under Lampard, Giroud was like a fish out of water." Have you seen these reports?

I haven't seen those (laughs). I've never really cared what others think of me, and I hope to teach that to younger players. You have to build a shield for yourself, otherwise it's hard to move forward. But some rumors still eventually reach your ears. I also faced criticism at Arsenal, but I turned the situation around.

As for my time under Lampard, before Euro 2020, I had already wanted to leave to seek playing opportunities. In the last three days of the transfer window, I went to him to find a solution. I almost joined Inter at that time. Fate took a turn, and the following year I went to Milan.

Is there a difference in the intensity of emotion between scoring now, scoring when you were younger, and scoring in the World Cup, or is the joy always the same?

It's always incredibly wonderful. That's what I'll miss most after retirement. A goal is priceless. I have a son who is a striker, but he also loves being a goalkeeper. I asked him: "What do you want in football? Do you want to score goals and experience extreme emotions, or make saves?"

But what can ignite the whole stadium and is irreplaceable is the feeling of scoring a goal. Of course, some goals are more crucial and more spectacular, like the scorpion kick that won the Puskás Award in 2017.

Look at my expression then, full of disbelief at scoring such a spectacular goal. And the header against England in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final, you can see anger, joy, and excitement intertwined on my face. At that moment, I almost cried.

Did you actually cry then?

No, but after being booed by fans in Nantes for three days, I scored a brace against Scotland in Metz, helping the team win 3-0. Evra shouted, "Look, number 9 is back!" At that moment, I was overwhelmed with emotion.

You once said, "I want to leave my mark in history." Have you done it?

Yes, I have. I want people to remember me, and I want my children to know my story. My two sons are now 8 and 10 years old; they already watch videos of their dad's games online with great interest. That's why you want people to remember your highlights and your achievements on the field. Off the field, I believe people also appreciate me as a person.

At Lille, you've gained everyone's recognition, and Ayase Ueda also greatly admires you.

It's very important to integrate into a new environment, even if he's my competitor on the field. You know, even though I'm 40, the coach knows I'm not here just to make up the numbers. I won't give in easily; I'll give him a lot of trouble in weekend matches. But when Ayase Ueda first arrived, I asked him if he had found a house yet.

I also talked to him about the Japanese players I worked with at Grenoble. I even remember Tsukasa Umesaki, whom I met during Arsenal's tour of Japan. On February 22, 2007, against Le Havre, he assisted my first professional goal. The opposing goalkeeper in that match was Mandanda.

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