Olivier Giroud is ‘proud of everything I’ve done so far, but I still want more’ at Milan after signing a new contract to June 2024 and booking their Champions League semi-final place.
Just hours after scoring the goal on Rafael Leao’s assist to eliminate Napoli in the quarter-final, the striker put pen to paper on an extension.
“For me it’s confirmation that I am part of the Milan family. I’ve been welcomed very warmly, when I spoke to Ricky, Paolo, the coach, I liked the Grande Milan project a lot and I’m proud of everything I’ve done at the club so far. But I still want more,” Giroud told Milan TV.
Many thought he was done and dusted after leaving Chelsea, but he has won the Scudetto with Milan and reached the World Cup Final for France.
“I feel like being a young man again. I am very proud and always very motivated and determined to help the team out even more because the Grande Milan. As I said before, when I was a kid that was THE team in Italy. There was only one team.
“I am here to do great things for the club and I want to continue.”
Giroud saw his penalty saved by Alex Meret in last night’s quarter-final, but then got the goal by tapping in the Leao assist.
“Yesterday was a special moment because I remember the fixture from last season which was decisive for the Scudetto win and I also wanted to do my best for the team yesterday evening.
“I wanted to give 100% during the game to earn a place in the semi-finals. It’s true that I expected to get a goal after the penalty miss, I wanted to do everything to get a goal because I was a bit disappointed, but I never gave up and kept believing to the end. My values are these.”
The centre-forward has also finally ended the so-called ‘Curse of the Number 9’ at Milan, which saw everyone who took that jersey after Pippo Inzaghi’s retirement tend to flop.
“I can confirm I’m not superstitious, it’s just a number for me, even if I do like it, probably because I knew that I could do good things for the team. Now I just want to carry on like we are and hope the Number 9 shirt can bring me more goals.”
He might not enter the record books for sheer number of goals, but Giroud is part of Milan history.
“Becoming Milan’s leading scorer at 36, soon to be 37, I don’t know. I don’t think so. Definitely not, it’s too late! But it’s more important to be here at this stage of the season to help the team out, to win and try to achieve our objectives.”
The Frenchman also had a message for the Rossoneri ultras after signing his new contract.
“For me, the Milan fans were not a big surprise, because I knew there was a passionate crowd at San Siro, but when we play away from home I am always very proud to be part of the Milan family. They bring such a great support to the team, so I want to thank them, because they’ve also made up a great song for me and I’ll try to do everything I can to hear them in every game.
“I give everything for the team.”