Oliver Giroud to retire from France National Team after Euro 2024

France striker Olivier Giroud will retire from international football after 2024 European Championship, saying he wants to make sure he does not play “one season too many.”

Undoubtedly one of the best forwards in history, Giroud has been a key part of France national team ever since he made his debut.

He was of their World Cup-winning squad in 2018 and has made 131 appearances for France till date.

“To be honest, this will be my last competition with Les Bleus. Obviously, I’m going to miss it a lot,” Giroud told L’Equipe in an interview published on Thursday.

“But I think the French team will be over after the Euros. We need to make way for the youngsters. You also have to be careful not to have one season too many. You have to find the right balance…

“I’ve always said that I was going to stop when my body asked me to. I think I’ve got two good years left. But as far as the French team is concerned, I think that’ll be the end of it.”

With 57 goals, the Oliver Giroud is the men’s national team’s all-time leading goalscorer, having overtaken Thierry Henry during the 2022 World Cup.

France will face Austria in their Euro 2024 group stage opening game on June 17, before taking on the Netherlands and Poland. They last lifted the trophy in 2000.

Asked if he had any objectives for the European Championship, Giroud said: “No, I really don’t.

“It’s really the desire to go as far as possible in the competition with this generation that drives me.

“If I win, apart from the Premier League, which is very difficult to win, I could say I’ve won everything… After that, I’ve heard a lot about the 60-goal mark for the national team. We’re watching, but it’s not an obsession.”