On Matchday 11 of the 2025 MLS season, LAFC recorded a 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo, and Olivier Giroud went as an unused substitute as the Black and Gold claimed a much-needed three points in MLS action. Watching along as his teammates triumphed, Giroud slumped back in his chair on the bench – not factoring into the result.It has been a theme for the Frenchman since he joined MLS, and whether he’s been on the pitch or not, he has not factored into results.
When LAFC signed the striker on a free transfer from Serie A outfit AC Milan in the summer of 2024, expectations were high for the veteran striker. A dream of a target man, Giroud had crafted his trade with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea in the English Premier League, and with the Rossoneri in Italy. Oh, and he is France’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals – that’s a big deal, too
A 2018 FIFA World Cup winner with France and a 2021 UEFA Champions League champion with Chelsea, Olivier Giroud added 11 other top-flight trophies over the course of his illustrious career. When he joined longtime friend and former France teammate Hugo Lloris in Los Angeles, expectations were high that the then-37-year-old would make an immediate impact and approach double-digit goals across all competitions by the end of the 2024 MLS season, including the postseason.
That didn’t happen, though. And frankly, it didn’t even come close to happening.
In 10 regular season appearances and four playoff matches, Giroud didn’t net once. He scored once across all competitions, with his lone goal coming in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final, which by all accounts was an important effort, but it was the only attempt of his that found the back across all competitions in a roughly five-month span.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Frenchman has featured in 11 games for the Black and Gold across all competitions, but has been blanked in 10 of those – scoring just once. His lone effort, by all accounts once again, a brilliant goal – finding the back of the net from a free kick – but it’s not a goal that changes the course of how his MLS career has started.
He’s not been good enough – but there’s more to it. He moved across the world to a completely different environment from one he was used to, and was thrown into a tactical system not built around him. On top of that, LAFC have constantly changed personnel on the pitch – giving him little consistency in the final third. There’s also the growing factor that he, himself, is reaching the tail end of his brilliant career. But are those valid excuses? Has the Western Conference side failed him? Or, is this just sometimes how the twilight of a career goes?
With all three of Arsenal, Chelsea and Milan, Giroud played in relatively ball-dominant systems.
During his final two seasons in Italy with the Rossoneri, Milan finished in the top-5 of the league in possession kept throughout the campaign. Eleven Matchdays into the 2025 season, LAFC have only had possession more than their opposition in six of their 11 matches in regular season action – and in those 11 games, have only made four key passes leading to goals. He’s also only made seven appearances this season in MLS action.
Despite LAFC having 17 goals under their belt this season, they have managed just seven assists; there’s been a heavy reliance on individual efforts – a game that has never benefited Giroud.
Upon signing him, the club outlined his physical attributes and his hold-up play as key reasons why he would fit LAFC’s plans.
“What is different about Olivier is his physicality, his presence, his size,” said John Thorrington, LAFC’s General Manager and Co-President. “I think what is unique and holds up is his ability not just to score goals but also to combine and create goals. That was a unique combination of skills. Most strikers have either-or. We found a rare package that would suit us very well.”
However, LAFC don’t play a transition game with forward passes that allow the Frenchman to utilize those traits; rather, he’s become excess weight in the final third.
It was an unexpected development, but Giroud doesn’t fit the mold of how LAFC play – and it’s become increasingly clear that manager Steve Cherundolo will not change his tactical identity to shoehorn him into the XI
