How Olivier Giroud Broke The Number 9 Curse In AC Milan

How Olivier Giroud Broke The Number 9 Curse In AC Milan 

The current AC Milan no. 9, Olivier Giroud, recently won the Serie A with the Italian giants. At 35, the Frenchman scored 14 goals and recorded 4 assists for Milan across all competitions. He became the first no. 9 since Filippo Inzaghi (13 years ago) to achieve a double-digit goal haul for Milan.

Giroud Big Game Goal This Season 

He was AC Milan’s ‘big-game’ player this season. He scored

• 2 goals in a 2–1 win against Inter away in GW 24.
• 2 goals in a 4–0 win against Lazio in Coppa Italia QF.
• 1 goal in a 1–0 win against Napoli away in GW 28.
• 1 goal in a 2–1 win against Lazio away in GW 34.
• 2 goals in a 3–0 win against Sassuolo away in the title-clinching GW 38.

Giroud finally put an end to Milan's no. 9 curse. Piatek, Higuain, Silva, Lapadula, Luiz Adriano, Torres, Destro, Matri, Pato, and Mandzukic failed to live up to expectations wearing the no. 9 shirt. Interestingly, Giroud's teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic never wore the no. 9 shirt for the Rossoneri.

Giroud joins a stellar list of players who wore the iconic no. 9 shirt for Milan, won Serie A, and scored 10+ goals in a season. The list includes

• Marco Van Basten (3 times Ballon d'Or winner)
• George Weah (1st and only African Ballon d'Or winner)
• Jean-Pierre Papin (Ballon d'Or winner and holder of biggest transfer record in 1992)
• Filippo Inzaghi (World Cup winner with Italy)

Giroud  Trophies 

Olivier Giroud, a team player, loved by the fans, may not be the best striker of his generation, but he is a trophy winner with every club/team he has played significantly for in his career. Let's look at the major trophies he's won.

• FIFA World Cup - 2018 (France)
• UEFA Nations League - 2021 (France)
• UEFA Champions League - 2020–21 (Chelsea)
• UEFA Europa League - 2018–19 (Chelsea)
• 2 x league titles - Serie A - 2021–22 (AC Milan), Ligue 1 - 2011–12 (Montpellier)
• 4 x FA Cup - 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17 (Arsenal), 2017–18 (Chelsea)

With 48 goals, Giroud is the second-highest goalscorer in internationals for France, just three behind Thiery Henry. Giroud was the top scorer in the Ligue 1 2011–12 and UEFA Europa League 2018–19. He also won UEFA Euro 2016 Bronze Boot.

Giroud scored some spectacular goals in his career and also won the FIFA Puskas Award 2017 for scoring an incredible scorpion kick[1]. A World Cup winner for France, a legend at Arsenal, a cult-hero at Chelsea, and a hero of Milan’s 19th Scudetto, he has had a glorious career.

Found it interesting? Comment and Share to your friends! Sharing or commenting is a proof of appreciation.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR TRENDING NEWS, SPORTS, JOB AND SCHOLARSHIP POSTINGS, NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT.