It has been a far from smooth journey for France’s Michael Olise. Born in west London and raised in Hayes, Michael played youth football for Chelsea.
His progress through youth football, initially frictionless, slowed when he entered his teens: Olise was let go by Chelsea. Olise found a home at Reading, where he made his senior debut aged 17.
By the start of the 2021-22 season, he was a Premier League player with Crystal Palace, who had been impressed by his performances in the second division.
Three years later, Bayern paid the London club €60 million to bring Olise to the Bundesliga. He has since established himself as one of Europe’s most talented attacking players.
This season has been particularly prolific in terms of goals and assists. At the same time, Olise presents a truly captivating public image. You may have dismissed him after seeing his infamous, monosyllabic post-match interview on Sky Sports while at Crystal Palace, but there’s more to it.
Olise has purposefully created a detached, non-personal image. Taken as a whole, it looks a little like a rejection of the game that surrounds the game, the whole circus. Olise has no major commercial deals, which is both vanishingly rare and incredibly cool.
He has given a grand total of one in-depth interview since turning professional. Michael Olise has risen quickly on the international stage, starting in France’s youth teams and eventually becoming one of the senior national team’s key attacking players.
Olise made a unique international choice. Born in England to a Nigerian father and a French-Algerian mother, he was eligible to represent all four countries. He chose to represent France, saying that he had dreamed of pulling on the blue shirt since his first childhood holidays in France.
Didier Deschamps called him up for his first senior appearance in the UEFA Nations League in August 2024, following his outstanding club performance. He made his debut on September 6, 2024, against Italy in Paris.
Despite the fact that France lost 3-1, Deschamps demonstrated his confidence by starting him right away. Olise scored his first senior goal in March 2025, in the Nations League quarterfinals against Croatia. He scored and assisted as France overcame a two-goal aggregate deficit to qualify.
At just 24 years old, Olise has already become one of France’s most influential attacking players. Given his creativity, composure, and ability to produce decisive moments in major matches, he is widely expected to remain a central figure for France at future tournaments.
At the ongoing 2026 World Cup, Olise has established himself as one of France’s first-choice attackers alongside Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. His creativity has been a major feature of France’s campaign, with coaches and pundits highlighting how his vision and passing complement the pace of his teammates.
With five assists in just four games, he is already the top creator in the tournament and one of the best players overall.
Ultimately, Olise’s greatest strength is that he does not rely on a single weapon. He is an excellent passer, dribbler, creator, and finisher, and he almost always makes the best decision. As a result, many analysts and coaches consider him to be one of the world’s most complete attacking wingers.
