Milan striker Olivier Giroud reveals the ten things he can’t do without, both on and off the pitch, from personalised shin guards to coffee.
The France international has had a tremendous impact at San Siro. Despite not scoring consistently (nine goals in 26 Serie A appearances), the ex-Chelsea striker has often left his mark in important matches, such as the derby della Madonnina in February or the away games at Napoli and Lazio.
The 2018 France World Cup revealed some secrets of his personal and professional life with a video interview with GQ Italia, where he went through the ten things he can’t do without in his life.
Hair care: “My teammates always make fun of me because my hair is always in order when I play. Even after the game, they want to know how this is possible. The secret is a brush stroke on the slightly wet hair, then a little wax and then, to fix it, I put a little hairspray.”
Faith: “It helps me a lot every day to move forward and be positive. The life of Jesus helps me a lot. I understood that he had a lot of humility and I try to do the same every day, talking to my family about the Bible to help them in life.”
Personalised shin guards: “They are a bit special because I have my whole family: the names of my wife and children, my number and everyone’s photograph. It’s something I really like, when I put the shin guards on before the game, to see the faces of my children. It gives me more motivation.”
Tiramisu: “I always eat it when I go to a restaurant, the first thing I try is to see if they make it on the menu. It makes me think of my family, my grandmother, my wife. It reminds me that I am a little Italian in my origins. I like to finish a good dinner with a good tiramisu.”
Contact lenses: “I’ve been wearing lenses since 2011. In the first season with Montpellier, I didn’t have lenses and the ophthalmologist asked me how it was possible that I could score with my eyes. He told me to wear the lenses. It’s funny because in the second season we won the league and I was the top scorer thanks to the ophthalmologist.”
Football boots: “I really like these shoes, they are very nice, light and comfortable. The size is 10 and a half, there are all the names of my children and also the flag of France. Trained-in boots maybe widen a little too much, so I prefer to use new ones in a match.”
Coffee: “In the morning I need a couple of coffees to wake up, it is true that in Italy we do it well: I like it so much, it will also be for this reason that I like tiramisu so much. How many do I drink a day? Three or four coffees a day, I can’t live without it.”
Watch: “Another thing I really like is collecting watches. I like different brands, for me, it is also an investment. In the morning, when I get dressed, if I don’t have a watch, I don’t feel well, as if I’m missing a piece. I like it a lot and I need to have something on my arm, I’m lost when I don’t have a watch.”
Keys: “These keys are always with me. I am a big fan of sports cars. When I was little, my father had nice cars. I also really like the roar of the engine. I can get the same feeling as when I play football, a great adrenaline rush. I don’t go too fast but when I can I take a lot of pleasure in driving the car. I have several, but here at Milan, since we have the BMW sponsor, I drive a beautiful m8. I like it.”
Football: “This is my whole life, since I was little it was the thing I always had with me. After school I played at home, against the wall, against the goal: I always kicked. I remember my parents weren’t very happy, I messed around the house. He was always with me, but even today. At home I always have a ball, even my children play a game at home every night. After training I have to play with them again (laughs), it’s my whole life.”
Giroud joined the Rossoneri in a €2m deal from Chelsea last summer and has managed 12 goals in 35 appearances across all competitions with the Serie A giants.
He has become the regular starter in Stefano Pioli’s attack following Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s struggles with injuries. His contract at San Siro runs out in June 2023.
🗣 Giroud talks through the 10 things he cannot do without plus life in Italyhttps://t.co/DY8eI1P1mJ #SempreMilan
— SempreMilan 🏆 (@SempreMilanCom) May 2, 2022