NEW YORK — During lunchtime on Friday, Michael Olise was spotted alone at the large rectangular table designated for the French team’s meals. This seems to be where he feels most comfortable. While the rest of the players were still selecting their favorite dishes, the Bayern Munich winger had already begun his meal!
“He enjoys his own company, and I really admire him for that. He’s a unique character, and his talent is incredible,” Rayan Cherki shared with ESPN before Les Bleus landed in the U.S., specifically in Boston, where they will be based throughout the tournament.
Olise is distinctive both on and off the field. Unlike typical superstars, he shies away from the spotlight as much as possible. He rarely gives interviews since he isn’t fond of media interactions. He often states that his real communication occurs on the pitch. The French language might not have an exact translation for the English phrase “let your feet do the talking,” but if it did, it would resonate with Olise perfectly. There’s no other player that embodies this idea quite like him.
There’s a strong belief among the France squad and their fans that this is poised to be Olise’s World Cup. His performances this season—25 goals and 28 assists in 57 matches for Bayern, along with five goals and one assist in his last nine appearances for France—are nothing short of remarkable. At just 24 years old, the former Crystal Palace winger has established himself as one of the best and most influential players in the world right now.
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In France’s final warm-up match before the World Cup, they defeated Northern Ireland 3-1, where Olise shone with a hat trick. He demonstrated his ability to be effective both on and off the ball, consistently positioning himself for success.
“His confidence is soaring, and he is incredibly clinical in front of goal. We’re going to need him to maintain this level throughout the tournament,” France’s coach Didier Deschamps stated to ESPN following the team’s pre-tournament camp. “Though he’s quite reserved, he plays with such freedom and has worked hard to reach this level.”
During the match against Northern Ireland, Olise operated from the right wing, similar to his role at Bayern Munich. This position allows him to fully utilize his skills and he enjoys cutting inside to influence the game. However, it hasn’t always been this way.
For more than a year leading up to the World Cup, Deschamps had used Olise in a central attacking role. While playing as a No. 10 allows for greater freedom, there has been debate in France regarding sticking with what Olise does best — the position that has made him one of the world’s top players.
This presents a good dilemma for Deschamps as he needs to find the right balance in France’s attacking quartet, which includes Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Olise. For them to fully exploit their remarkable attacking potential, they need to develop a mutual understanding of each other’s playing styles and movements.
When in form, there’s no front four that compares at this World Cup, and Deschamps is optimistic that his star players will mesh quickly.
Deschamps was thrilled when Olise, born in London to a French-Algerian mother and a Nigerian-English father, chose to represent France. He had the option to pick any of the four nations linked to his heritage, but he grew up idolizing Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry, and he witnessed France achieve glory in the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship.
Olise has only participated in the youth teams of Les Bleus, and Deschamps took considerable time before calling him up to the senior squad. Over his 14-year tenure, Deschamps has had access to a wealth of talent, but players like Olise are rare, leading him to wait for the opportune moment.
That moment came in September 2024, during a 3-1 loss to Italy, after Olise caught Deschamps’ eye at the 2024 Olympic Games, where he showcased his skills while helping Les Bleus secure a silver medal. Now, the challenge for Deschamps is to position him effectively within the team so that he can aid France in securing a third World Cup title.
We’ll see how well his strategy works out on Tuesday against Senegal in New Jersey.