Who is Michael Olise – Mbappé’s wingman, as French captain chases Messi’s goal count

5 min readJun 23, 2026 09:00 AM IST

Olise has been called the 'today and tomorrow' of French football by Mbappé, after his assists first helped France steady early nerves and a ponderous first half against Senegal. (AP Photo)

There are 75 players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup who are born in France – representing around 10 nations. Michael Olise, the lynchpin of the French attack, the puppeteer pulling the strings from the right wing, while setting up Kylian Mbappé’s strikes – isn’t one. Olise was born in London.

He has been called the ‘today and tomorrow’ of French football by Mbappé, after his assists first helped France steady early nerves and a ponderous first half against Senegal, when the French captain finally scored. Against Iraq in a rain-drenched game, Olise was quicker to get France going, when his pinpoint service to Mbappé took his captain to 15 World Cup goals in his 100th match. Roving on the right, well out of the defensive unit’s peripheral sights, Olise kept pinging in precise passes that the French forwards could convert, with Dembele receiving an Olise assist and scoring the French third in a 3-0 win.

ALSO READ | Mbappé approaching Messi’s 18-goal record in World Cup’s leaderboard charge

The reason Mbappé and Olise have hit it off so quickly is because his left foot on the right flank works out angles, strikes rotating acceleration with such rhythm that Mbappé is receiving deliveries at his footstep. Like a norden bombsight of an ancient bombardier, Olise has been gauging movement around the box, mapping his teammates’ likely pathways and using his creative vision to open supply lines and pave the path for the captain.

There was grumpiness from English shores when Olise chose to play for France. He grew up in London, born to a Nigerian-English father and Franco-Algerian mother. “I possess four parts of each of these countries. All four parts enrich me,” he has maintained.

Michael Olise, left, and Kylian Mbappe celebrate after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group I match between France and Senegal in East Rutherford. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Explaining why he picked France, he said, “I always had a connection with the French national team. It was a childhood dream to play for them given I spent a lot of holidays at my mother’s home,” he explained.

His brother still plays for Chelsea, while Michael went over to Bayern Munich, after a fruitful stint at Crystal Palace, where besides becoming the youngest goal-scorer at the club, he showed a flair and generosity for rustling up the most assists in a single season – 10.

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As such, Olise is a perfect fit in this multi-cultural, multi-inspired French team. He might not have grown up in the urban marginalised banlieues of Paris, but besides the blended nationalities in his genes, Olise was also shaped by several impressive influences. Youth stints at Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City coincided with his long-distance stargazing of French greats Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry. He was simultaneously enchanted by the trick-dribbles of Neymar and how he sizzled with pace moving up field.

But at 18, Olise had no doubts about who he wanted to turn out for – he would slot into the 2024 Paris Olympics home squad finishing with a silver. A senior call-up from Didier Deschamps was on the horizon, and he would link up with Mbappé right away, lending France the creative coherence from his right half position.

ALSO READ | Record-breaking Lionel Messi’s longevity is truly remarkable

Half of Mbappé’s praise for Olise after the Senegal-win was him chuckling about how the press would never be able to demystify him because he abhorred speaking to the media. It’s earned him the very French nickname Mr Nonchalant, which amused Mbappé very much.

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As the French attack circled their defensive wall forming a rhythmic ring of short passes to break the Iraqi shape on Monday, Olise was the obvious orchestra conductor. That he revels in lying back and supplying bespoke passes works perfectly for the French strikers and Mbappé specifically. Him and Dembele can create chances and destroy defenses, even before Doue and Cherki fetch up.

His braided ponytail bouncing about doesn’t always come into the frame when a goal is scored. But Olise in a rare interview to Bayern had talked of his fashion interests. “One thing I’m going to enjoy about France is fashion. I’m someone who will dress up smartly even if I’m stepping out to buy bread!” he jokes. Eats and leaves no crumbs either, this Michael.

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball.

Professional Profile

Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express.

Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics.

Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium.

Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025)

Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond:

Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style.

PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps.

The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals.

Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas.

Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes.

Notable Recent Articles

BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025)

The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025)

Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025)

Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025)

Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025)

Other Sports Interests

Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts.

You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More

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Kylian Mbappe