Olivier Giroud returned to his former club Arsenal yesterday in the 78th minute of the match against Lille at the Emirates Stadium. The Frenchman, who played for five and a half years in London, said he felt a wave of emotions when he saw the England and Lille fans singing his anthem.
The player, who left Arsenal in 2022 to join Lille, expressed great gratitude towards the London club's fans. “The fans were fantastic… I took a moment to do a little tour of the stadium, it was fantastic,” he said during the interview with Canal+. Giroud underlined how the English had not forgotten him, a fact that particularly struck him.
Although the match ended in victory for Lille, Giroud admitted that he would have preferred Arsenal to have taken home at least a point. “I would have preferred us to take home something, even a point, but I'm happy to be back at my old club,” he added. His visit was greeted with great enthusiasm by both London and Lille fans, who sang along to his chorus.
The match against Arsenal represented a moment of reflection for Giroud on his professional path. After leaving the English club, he continued to play at European level with Lille, but the visit to the Emirates reaffirmed the emotional bond he maintains with his former club.
Moving forward, Giroud remains at Lille for the remainder of the season, where he will continue to look to contribute to the French club's success. His visit to the Emirates, although brief, demonstrated that the bonds between player and club can endure even after years of separation.