Chelsea legend Eden Hazard sent a special welcome message to Olivier Giroud after the French striker joined Lille from LAFC.
The French striker has signed a one-year deal with Lille, marking his comeback to Ligue 1 after a 13-year absence.
The 38-year-old parted ways with MLS club LAFC by mutual agreement just days ago.
Giroud is gearing up for what could be one final chapter in his illustrious career, back in the country where it all began.
The move sees him don the red jersey of Lille.
Giroud has collected major honours with top clubs across Europe, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and AC Milan.
He’s also a World Cup winner with France and holds the record as the country’s all-time leading goal-scorer, with 57 goals in 137 appearances before retiring from international football last year.
Among the first to welcome Giroud to his new club was Chelsea and Lille legend Hazard.
The Belgian, who made his name at Lille before moving to Stamford Bridge in 2012, where he played with Giroud, sent a playful and heartfelt video message to his former team-mate.
“Oh, old man! Look how beautiful is the Dogue! The jersey suits you well,” Hazard quipped in a friendly nod to Giroud’s new kit and age.
Giroud responded: “Red suits me well, the red. I like blue, but red suits me well.
“I saw your face, when I arrived, drawn on the Berlin Wall, that’s class.”
Hazard responded with an emotional nod to his roots: “Bro, that’s my club, you know it.
“You need to take care of LOSC now.”
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Hazard, meanwhile, remains a revered figure at Lille.
He began his professional journey with the club in 2007 and quickly blossomed under then-manager Rudi Garcia.
His contributions during the 2010-11 campaign were instrumental in Lille lifting their first Ligue 1 title in over 50 years, as well as a Coupe de France triumph.
The club even honoured Hazard by naming a training pitch after him. Before his high-profile transfer to Chelsea, Hazard made 194 appearances for Lille, scoring 50 goals and registering 53 assists.
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Giroud last played in Ligue 1 during the 2011–12 season with Montpellier, where he led the club to an unexpected league title.
That championship-winning campaign helped catapult him to international stardom and eventually to the Premier League.
Now, at 38 and approaching 39, Giroud’s ambitions remain intact.
He aims to make an impact at Lille, just as he did over a decade ago with Montpellier.
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