Giroud was about to turn twenty-three.
Back when he was training at Grenoble's youth academy, he knew he wasn't a naturally gifted player. He had seen true footballing genius up close.
Benzema, the star at Lyon, was one such talent, recognized across France, Europe, and the world.
If Benzema was a high-performance F1 car, well-maintained and built for speed, then Giroud was just a go-kart, left unnoticed in the shadows.
He never imagined he would one day reach the top level of football.
At one point, he thought the best he could hope for was a career in Ligue 2. Even making it to Ligue 1 seemed like a dream. But after moving to Tours, he realized that maybe, just maybe, he had a real shot.
For the first time in his life, he wanted success badly.
But what shocked him even more was that before he had even conquered Ligue 2 or Ligue 1, he had already been given an opportunity he had never dared to dream of.
The newly ascendant Premier League side, Manchester City, extended a contract to him. And it wasn't just any offer, it came directly from Gao Shen, a manager with two Champions League titles to his name.
To Giroud, it felt surreal.
No—this wasn't just a dream. Even in his wildest dreams, he wouldn't have thought this was possible.
So when the news became official, he was afraid it would somehow fall through. Worried that City or Gao Shen might change their minds, he immediately packed up and left Chambéry for Manchester. He had heard the rumors, any player valued by Gao Shen would go on to achieve greatness.
For years, he had suppressed his ambitions, but now, that fire inside him was roaring to life again.
From the moment he arrived at Manchester City, he became the hardest-working player in training. He executed every drill, every movement, and every tactical instruction with absolute dedication.
Compared to his teammates, he was clearly lacking in many areas, but his attitude was second to none.
At first, he feared that his shortcomings would lead to disappointment. He worried the coaching staff would grow frustrated, that Gao Shen would push him aside. But that never happened.
He still vividly remembered his first serious conversation with Gao Shen. It was in Cape Town, South Africa. Through an interpreter, the head coach's words left a deep impression on him.
"In football, there is no such thing as absolute perfection. Every player has weaknesses, which is why teamwork is so important. We rely on each other to push forward."
"Your strengths are clear, but so are your weaknesses. If you want to succeed in the Premier League, you have to maximize your strengths and carve out a unique role for yourself in the team."
Giroud, curious, asked Gao Shen what he believed his biggest strengths were.
Gao Shen pointed to his temple. "Your mind," he said. "And your sense of rhythm on the pitch."
During that conversation, Gao Shen explained that Giroud's greatest talent lay in his ability to read the game. He had a strong sense of space, which allowed him to process information quickly. Physically, he was also exceptional.
"Your movement, your style—it's not like a traditional center forward. You play more like a number 10."
That was the direction Gao Shen wanted him to develop in.
Of course, they would also work on his weaknesses.
But at twenty-three, there was only so much he could improve.
Even with focused training, there were limits to how much he could change. Often, working on a player's weaknesses was more about giving them confidence than truly erasing those flaws.
What mattered most was maximizing strengths.
That day, Giroud became fully convinced by Gao Shen's vision.
He never imagined he would become a key player for Manchester City. But even more unimaginable was that a Champions League-winning manager and his elite coaching team would create a personalized development plan just for him.
That alone made him grateful.
And so, he worked even harder.
Even when he didn't get a single minute of playtime in the first three league matches, he kept pushing himself. He watched as his teammates took the field, full of energy and determination, and felt envious but he remained patient. He kept training. Kept waiting.
Finally, he made the match squad.
Finally, he was getting his chance.
Even if there were only thirty minutes left in the match.
Standing on the touchline, waiting for his substitution, Giroud lifted his head, hoping the camera would capture his face.
He wanted his old teammates, his friends, and his family to see him.
He had made it to the Premier League!
"Go out there and give it your best!" Robben high-fived him before walking off.
Giroud was stunned for a moment.
Not long ago, Robben had been just a distant figure, someone he only saw on TV or in newspapers.
Now, they were teammates.
For a second, it didn't feel real.
"Number 12, number 12," the referee called out twice.
"Olivier!"
Felipe, the closest left-back, ran over and called out.
Giroud snapped out of his daze, awkwardly waved his hands, and hurried onto the pitch.
He was still feeling a little overwhelmed.
The Portsmouth fans immediately erupted into boos.
Is this really the best Manchester City has?
They're subbing on this fool?
But within the Manchester City squad, everyone knew that Giroud had been a bit of an enigma ever since he joined the team.
Honestly, how could someone who only spoke French, with no grasp of English, just pack up and move to England alone?
And, to make things even more baffling, he hadn't even signed his contract at that time.
…
Gao Shen rubbed his forehead in frustration.
In his memories, Giroud should have been a good-looking, composed striker. But right now, he just looked clueless and—dare he say it—kind of adorable?
But the contrast was jarring.
This was a tall, powerful center forward. It felt ridiculous to describe him as "cute," yet here he was.
"David." Gao Shen called out to Silva, gesturing for him to adjust his passes and pay closer attention to Giroud. The Spanish midfielder nodded in acknowledgment.
The same went for Rakitic.
Robinho remained on the left wing, while Suárez shifted to the right, a position he had frequently played at Ajax, so he was perfectly comfortable there.
"Alright, everyone, stay sharp and focused! Let's go!" Gao Shen clapped his hands, rallying his team.
…
Manchester City restarted play.
Giroud's first attempt to receive the ball didn't go well. Distin read the situation quickly, stepped around him, and intercepted the pass.
The French striker was caught off guard. He immediately tried to press and win it back, but he was too slow.
This wasn't like the match footage he had studied.
The pace of a Premier League game was far faster than he had imagined. It was almost impossible to keep up.
From the sidelines, he had watched Suárez dominate the Portsmouth defenders and assumed Kaboul and Distin were sluggish. But in reality, these two center-backs both over 1.9 meters tall were fast, agile, and sharp.
They only looked slow compared to a striker like Suárez.
Giroud's second attempt was slightly better, he managed to receive the ball, but his first touch was too heavy. By the time he tried to control it, Distin had already stepped in and cleared it away.
The home fans roared in applause and cheers.
Giroud could even hear the jeers and taunts from the stands.
Not that he understood most of the English insults.
"Olivier, what are you doing? Stay focused!" Gao Shen's voice rang out from the touchline.
Giroud glanced at his coach, quickly nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to steady himself.
Play to your strengths.
Play to your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
After two failed touches, his teammates seemed hesitant to pass to him.
Every forward pass was the result of the team's coordinated movement, no one wanted to waste those opportunities.
Finally, the ball came his way again. This time, he didn't try to control it. Instead, he quickly knocked it back into open space for a teammate to pick up.
"Good! Stay calm!" Gao Shen shouted from the sideline.
Giroud instinctively turned around, ready to smile at his coach—only to see Rakitic already sending another pass his way.
He hesitated. Just for a second.
That second was enough. The ball was gone.
"Damn it, Olivier! Stay focused!"
Giroud waved apologetically at Rakitic, acknowledging his mistake.
The Croatian midfielder simply grinned and immediately turned to press Portsmouth.
…
It took more than five minutes before Giroud finally settled into the rhythm of the game.
He quickly realized that, as the team's central forward, he wouldn't have time or space to dwell on the ball. He needed to move it on quickly, one-touch play was the key.
By the time he started receiving and distributing passes cleanly, the match had already reached the 70th minute.
Time was flying.
But in the midst of this high-intensity battle, Giroud finally felt what Gao Shen had told him before.
His ability to read the game, to analyze movements and predict positioning was real.
Without even realizing it, he was constantly tracking his teammates and opponents, instinctively understanding their positioning and movement patterns.
He had no idea if others could do this.
But he could.
And if he could master it, he could be truly dangerous.
Especially when combined with his physical strength.
Use your body. Shield the ball. Control your opponent.
Giroud wasn't stupid. Quite the opposite, he was sharp. He was starting to get it.
…
In the 74th minute, Robinho received the ball on the left and tried to cut inside.
Van den Borre read his move perfectly, blocking his path. With no other option, Robinho passed back to David Silva.
Silva took possession, lifted his head, and scanned the field.
Giroud was already making a run, calling for the ball.
"Send it forward!" he shouted.
Silva understood immediately.
Giroud sprinted towards the left side of the penalty area.
Distin followed closely.
Both players were 1.92 meters tall. In a pure physical battle, Distin wouldn't necessarily lose but Giroud had positioning on his side.
He got his body in front, blocking Distin behind him.
Silva delivered the pass perfectly to Giroud's right side, just beyond Distin's reach. The ball bounced softly off the turf, slowing down at just the right moment.
A great passer knew exactly how to tailor each pass to their teammate's needs.
Giroud didn't try to control it.
Instead, he stepped forward, pivoted, and swung his left leg—redirecting Silva's pass straight into the path of a teammate inside the box.
(To be continued.)
***
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