Olivier Giroud scored for Lille in Europe this week as he continues to excel at nearly 40 years old.
He netted the opening goal, helping Lille recover from a first-leg defeat against Crvena zvezda to advance to the Round of 16 in the Europa League.
Giroud, who will turn 40 later this year, has rejoined European football after playing for Los Angeles FC in the MLS.
The top scorer for France has achieved 11 goals in major European competitions since he turned 35. Only seven other players have reached this milestone.
Among them are notable names like Alfredo Di Stefano (13), Cristiano Ronaldo (14), and Ferenc Puskas (18). Currently, two active players are also on this list.
Robert Lewandowski and Edin Dzeko have each scored 16 goals in European competitions after 35, with Lewandowski adding two goals in this season’s Champions League. Dzeko moved from Fiorentina to Schalke in January and is not playing in UEFA competitions right now.
The record for the most goals in major European competitions after 35 belongs to former Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz. He was the top scorer in the Europa League in 2017-18, scoring 11 goals at age 37. In total, he scored 19 UEFA goals after turning 35.
Top scorers in major European club competitions after age 35
- Aritz Aduriz – 19
- Ferenc Puskás – 18
- Robert Lewandowski, Edin Dzeko – 16
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 14
- Alfredo Di Stéfano – 13
- Olivier Giroud – 11
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