Giroud scored the early opener as Lille turned their Europa League tie against Crvena Zvezda around, overturning a first-leg defeat to reach the round of 16.
Giroud will celebrate his 40th birthday later this year but continues to perform at the highest level after returning to European football from MLS team Los Angeles FC this summer.
France’s all-time top scorer has now scored 11 goals in Europe’s major competition since turning 35, a feat only seven players have previously achieved.
Among them are Real Madrid icons Alfredo Di Stefano (13), Cristiano Ronaldo (14) and Ferenc Puskas (18). In addition to Giroud, two more players active in European football are on the list.
Robert Lewandowski and Edin Dzeko have each scored 16 goals in European competition since turning 35, with the former scoring twice in this season’s Champions League. Dzeko left Fiorentina for German second division club Schalke in January and is currently not playing in the UEFA competition.
The player with the most major European competition goals after the age of 35 is former Athletic Bilbao striker Artiz Aduriz. At the age of 37, he was top scorer in the Europa League in 2017-2018, with eleven goals. Aduriz scored nineteen UEFA competition goals after turning 35.
The players with the most goals in major European club competitions after the age of 35
- Aritz Aduriz ā 19
- Ferenc Puskas – 18
- Robert Lewandowski, Edin Dzeko ā 16
- Christiano Ronaldo ā 14
- Alfredo Di Stefano ā 13
- Olivier Giroud ā 11
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