Olivier Giroud exclusive: LAFC star talks MLS playoffs, Messi and missing Pulisic

MLS Decision Day annually offers a dramatic conclusion to the regular season.

In the middle of the high-octane suspense this year was Los Angeles FC, which was vying for first place in the Western Conference with their bitter El Tráfico rival, the LA Galaxy.

Needing a win, a Galaxy loss and the goal differential tiebreaker advantage, the drama played out late into the evening last Saturday. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half to the last-place San Jose Earthquakes, LAFC came out in the second half and did LAFC things … score a bunch of goals.

LAFC prevailed 3-1 and for a moment — with the Houston Dynamo leading the Galaxy 1-0 late — appeared to have the top playoff seed in the West . Then, chaos ensued at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium, where the Galaxy were awarded a stoppage time penalty kick, which Gabriel Pec converted. It seemed LAFC would have to settle for second place, but to the delight of LAFC players and the fans still hanging around at BMO Stadium, Houston managed a go-ahead goal 11 minutes into stoppage time, winning 2-1 and delivering the Western Conference to LAFC.

Olivier Giroud is a 2018 World Cup winner with France and still a relative newcomer to LAFC — he made his club debut in August during the Leagues Cup. He was not among last Saturday's goal-scorers, but it seems inevitable he will make his mark on the MLS Cup Playoffs (he's the all-time goal-scoring leader for France, so has a knack for finding the back of the net).

USA TODAY Sports talked to Giroud about a myriad of topics, including LAFC's quest to win another MLS Cup and the challenges (i.e. some guy named Lionel Messi) that potentially lie ahead.

Can Giroud help LAFC to 3rd consecutive MLS Cup appearance?

In addition to winning a World Cup, Giroud came to Los Angeles as a decorated club player, winning the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, three FA Cups with Arsenal and the Serie A with AC Milan in 2022.

LAFC is as ambitious a club as there is in Major League Soccer. Its latest endeavor will be to win another MLS Cup. It won MLS Cup in what is considered the greatest championship game in league history in 2022, but was runner-up last season, losing the final to the Columbus Crew.

LAFC enters this year's playoffs riding a six-game winning streak, which started when the team won the U.S. Open Cup final against Sporting Kansas City (Giroud scored the opening goal in that win). Riding that wave of momentum into Sunday's Round 1 clash with the Vancouver Whitecaps is paramount for LAFC.

"It was very important to finish strong this season. We did our best to finish at the top, with a little bit of luck with the LA Galaxy loss at Houston. But we did the job, you know," Giroud said. "I think we're building good momentum so far and it's good for the confidence of the players. We know we definitely need to step up and we need to improve for the playoffs, because there will be tough games."

Vancouver enters the best-of-three playoff series against LAFC riding a wave of momentum of their own … they pummeled the Portland Timbers 5-0 in Wednesday's wild-card match.

"We are ready. Everybody is really focused and determined to do well," Giroud said.

If LAFC can win MLS Cup, it would become just the fourth team ever to couple an MLS title with a U.S. Open Cup win in the same year (2005 LA Galaxy, 1998 Chicago Fire and 1996 D.C. United were the others … but let's be real, the league has more than doubled in size since these doubles).

Could there be a Giroud vs. Messi MLS Cup final?

There's a lot of postseason football to be played, and any longtime follower of the league will know things can go sideways in the MLS playoffs. So, to look ahead a month and a half toward a potential LAFC vs. Inter Miami MLS Cup is a bit premature. Still, Inter Miami vs. LAFC in the MLS Cup is nearly the equivalent of MLB's holy grail Los Angeles Dodgers-New York Yankees World Series matchup.

"Still a long road until the MLS final," Giroud said. "But, it would be crazy to play a final against Miami and all these great players.

"But, we definitely need to focus on game after game, one at a time. We need consistency and to keep going with this good momentum. I played in Columbus and can say they're a really good team and they will try their best to beat Miami if they play against each other. One or the other team will be tough, obviously, to win (against). Still a long road until there."

The Columbus Crew, it should be noted, seem to have LAFC's number. In addition to defeating LAFC in last year's MLS Cup, the Crew beat LAFC in this year's Leagues Cup final (Giroud did score his first goal for LAFC in the game), which came after the Crew came to BMO Stadium and delivered a 5-1 embarrassment for LAFC in league play.

Should Lionel Messi win MLS MVP?

Messi is a finalist for this season's league MVP award, which has come with some debate about the merits of his candidacy. Messi, after all, made just 15 starts in 19 games played during the 34-game regular season for Inter Miami. Still, he finished tied for second in the league in goals (20) and tied for third in assists (16).

Giroud vouched for Messi's MVP credentials.

"We know the quality of the player. We know how big his impact is on the team," Giroud said. "He's got a great relationship with not only all the ex-Barcelona players, but also the other players. They have a good squad, and he's obviously the best player and their playmaker.

"I understand Miami is already in the Club World Cup, so obviously he's in the best position to win the MVP."

'The football is different' in MLS

A veteran player who achieved great success in Europe's top leagues as well as winning the World Cup coming to MLS isn't new. A player on every World Cup winner going back to 1990 has played in MLS. In 2022, Thiago Almada became the first active MLS player to win a World Cup.

The 38-year-old Giroud is the latest in a long line of legends to make the move, a legacy that includes (but is not exclusive to) David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Bastian Schweinsteiger, David Villa, Frank Lampard, Kaká, Nani, Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gareth Bale and, of course, Messi and his ex-Barcelona pals Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez. The on-field results are often mixed, and adjusting to the style of play in MLS can be a challenge, even for the most decorated of players.

"It's a different (style of) football. First I get to know my teammates much better for the automatisms, to get a good relationship on the pitch with them," Giroud said. "I would say it's tactically different (from what) I have known in Serie A in Italy. But one thing I can say is every single team is trying to play games to score goals, to go forward, and to be honest with you, I've been surprised by the level of the quality of the game offensively, in possession."

Giroud is just over two months into his MLS career, but had been eyeing a move to the league for quite some time.

"A few years ago, I said that I would love to finish my career in MLS. So that was kind of the target to finish there," Giroud said. "And obviously as a European, you know, we obviously would prefer to be in a big city like LA, or there's also New York and, you know, Miami. Those are the best spots, I can say, for the lifestyle.

"I was very glad when my agent told me that LAFC is willing sign (me). I was convinced hundred percent it was the best choice when I met the boys. They were so good to me, and I received a maternal warm welcome also from the manager Steve (Cherundolo) and the whole staff. It was really the best option for me."

'I miss' Christian Pulisic

Giroud has history with U.S. men's national team player Christian Pulisic and has been effusive about his former teammate at both Chelsea and AC Milan.

The two were teammates when Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League in 2022 and linked up again at AC Milan last season. En route to a second-place finish in Serie A, Giroud led the team with 17 goals in all competitions, while Pulisic scored 15. This season, Pulisic is on an absolute tear to start the 2024-25 season. He has seven goals and three assists in 11 games so far this season for AC Milan, a run of success that includes an Olimpico goal scored during the team's Champions League match against Club Brugge on Tuesday.

"Christian is one of the players I had the greatest understanding with at Chelsea and Milan," Giroud said. "I'm very glad for him that he's doing so well from the start of the season so far. He is very important for the team.

"I miss him, but I have great players around me also here in LA, so can't complain."

'LA would be perfect for' Antoine Griezmann

It seems like it's not a matter of if, but when another French World Cup winner comes to Los Angeles. Two members of that 2018 World Cup-winning team already are members of LAFC (goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is the other one). Why not a third?

Antoine Griezmann has long been linked with a move to MLS, including rumors over the summer with LAFC pursuing Griezmann.

"I think he's still enjoying playing in Europe at Atletico (Madrid); maybe for one more year and then we will try our best to convince him to come over," Giroud said. "Of course, it would be great for him, for his family, for the fans of the club. He's a great player, he's a good teammate and his mentality is great. I know he would love the U.S. and U.S. sports. So, LA would be perfect for him."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Olivier Giroud loves LAFC, misses Pulisic, predicts Griezmann timeline