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Always Believe: The Autobiography of Olivier Giroud
Always Believe is the gripping autobiography of Chelsea, Arsenal and France star Olivier Giroud. Join him on a remarkable journey, from playing for a small club in south-east France to achieving top-flight glory there and in England, before lifting the World Cup with the French national team.
Giroud shot to prominence in 2011/12 as the top scorer in France's Ligue 1, netting 21 goals to help Montpellier to their first-ever top-flight title. After signing for Arsenal in 2012, he rewarded the Gunners with 73 goals in 180 games and helped them to three FA Cup wins. He is also the French national team's second-highest scorer. Now at Chelsea, Giroud is still hungry for success.
But what about the sacrifices he's made along the way? The pressures of being under the spotlight and having to cope with a constant stream of criticism and questions around his selection for the national side?
Usually a private person, Giroud holds nothing back as he shares all the highs and lows of a stellar career at the game's top level in this tell-all book.
Giroud shot to prominence in 2011/12 as the top scorer in France's Ligue 1, netting 21 goals to help Montpellier to their first-ever top-flight title. After signing for Arsenal in 2012, he rewarded the Gunners with 73 goals in 180 games and helped them to three FA Cup wins. He is also the French national team's second-highest scorer. Now at Chelsea, Giroud is still hungry for success.
But what about the sacrifices he's made along the way? The pressures of being under the spotlight and having to cope with a constant stream of criticism and questions around his selection for the national side?
Usually a private person, Giroud holds nothing back as he shares all the highs and lows of a stellar career at the game's top level in this tell-all book.
- GenresFootballNonfiction
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 1, 2022
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61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 10, 2023
I'm a huge fan of Giroud and so it makes sense that the first football biography I read is his.
Giroud gives off a positive vibe irl and it shines through in the book as well. My only complaint is the book doesn't go into much detail. He merely narrates the events of his life with shallow passing commentary in some instances. I would have preferred this be longer so he can have a chance to go into much more detail about some of what he has been through.
I also think this is pretty sanitized and he purposefully avoids talking about some darker parts of his life which makes me wonder why even write a book about your life? He tries to put a positive spin on everything such that even the covid pandemic which scared all of us world over, he still doesn't dwell much on and breezes through it choosing to look at the good that came out of it for him. Idk. Overall, the positive approach is good but it didn't always work. I would have liked a deeper less censored dive into his life and thoughts.
Giroud gives off a positive vibe irl and it shines through in the book as well. My only complaint is the book doesn't go into much detail. He merely narrates the events of his life with shallow passing commentary in some instances. I would have preferred this be longer so he can have a chance to go into much more detail about some of what he has been through.
I also think this is pretty sanitized and he purposefully avoids talking about some darker parts of his life which makes me wonder why even write a book about your life? He tries to put a positive spin on everything such that even the covid pandemic which scared all of us world over, he still doesn't dwell much on and breezes through it choosing to look at the good that came out of it for him. Idk. Overall, the positive approach is good but it didn't always work. I would have liked a deeper less censored dive into his life and thoughts.
April 19, 2022
Olivier Giroud has won the World Cup, Champions League, Premiership, French League and a number of FA Cups. He married his childhood sweetheart and has four lovely children. He has scored some spectacular goals and had his own song sung from the Arsenal Terraces. And he puts it all down to Jesus and the evangelical cult to which he belongs.
There was no explanation or mention of his relationship with Celia Kay, or escorts or prostitutes or sex tapes, which is rather surprising and one wonders whether Jesus wasn't involved in the more sordid aspects of his life, in which case, the rest of the story is just a matter of hypocrasy. At least Merson, Adams, Parlour, Nicholas, Kennedy and Marinello faced their less than respectable behaviour. A very sanitised tale I fear, probably written for his children rather than a true history of his career.
There was no explanation or mention of his relationship with Celia Kay, or escorts or prostitutes or sex tapes, which is rather surprising and one wonders whether Jesus wasn't involved in the more sordid aspects of his life, in which case, the rest of the story is just a matter of hypocrasy. At least Merson, Adams, Parlour, Nicholas, Kennedy and Marinello faced their less than respectable behaviour. A very sanitised tale I fear, probably written for his children rather than a true history of his career.
June 17, 2023
I don't think of Giroud as an exceptional player.When he was at Arsenal i always reckoned that he needed 5 scoring chances to score a goal.Might he not wonder how he spent so much time on the bench.
He avoids any controversy and rams religion down your throat,though I didn't read that chapter.
Whilst this book is 280 pages long it is double spaced,so that is equivalent to 140 pages.It's only virtue is its brevity,I finished it in 2days.There are far better football autobiographies to read than this book
He avoids any controversy and rams religion down your throat,though I didn't read that chapter.
Whilst this book is 280 pages long it is double spaced,so that is equivalent to 140 pages.It's only virtue is its brevity,I finished it in 2days.There are far better football autobiographies to read than this book
November 11, 2021
A fascinating insight into one of my favourite strikers. This balances between a tell all and the regular sort of footballer biography, and his discussion of his faith is very interesting, especially as it's often not discussed in football-related media (barring the Sun and their anti-Islamic footballer tirades). Big love to Oli Giroud
September 18, 2022
3.5/5 stars
It is a good book, but it lacks a depth in telling its story, especially coming from a world-renowned professional athlete. The way he tells the story is not sequential, you have a huge chapter where he covers his entire professional career (except for his experience as a French national team player) and the rest is left in other small chapters.
It is a good book, but it lacks a depth in telling its story, especially coming from a world-renowned professional athlete. The way he tells the story is not sequential, you have a huge chapter where he covers his entire professional career (except for his experience as a French national team player) and the rest is left in other small chapters.
September 11, 2024
5/5 nem poderia ser menos.
O meu jogador favorito que me inspira todos os dias a ser melhor e, com este livro, além de ficar a conhecê-lo um bocadinho mais, fiquei ainda mais inspirada a ser melhor e melhor.
Um livro que, quem gosta de futebol, deveria ler, sendo ou não sendo fã do Giroud.
Este livro mostra que nem sempre somos aquilo que aparentamos: há sempre uma história por trás.
O meu jogador favorito que me inspira todos os dias a ser melhor e, com este livro, além de ficar a conhecê-lo um bocadinho mais, fiquei ainda mais inspirada a ser melhor e melhor.
Um livro que, quem gosta de futebol, deveria ler, sendo ou não sendo fã do Giroud.
Este livro mostra que nem sempre somos aquilo que aparentamos: há sempre uma história por trás.
December 26, 2024
An interesting book and autobiography. Giroud comes across well and shares his story of becoming a top centre forward with a calm level headed style. I enjoyed how he told his story of starting out. Never arrogant or cocky, this a nice autobiography for football fans.
February 24, 2022
Two and a half stars.
February 2, 2023
He was one of my favourite arsenal players and reading this book you realise how humble he is and he's not assessed with money he does it through passion would 100% recommend.
March 7, 2023
An amazing player who is resilient and never gives up. Always full of faith.
June 30, 2023
Below average autobiography really. Nothing we didn't already know. Also didn't really let us into much of his personal life with stories.
August 16, 2023
Good book and honest from start until finish.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews