The best French player of the summer is not called Kylian Mbappé (author of a single goal at Euro 2024, on a penalty), but probably Michael Olise, still unknown to the general public two weeks ago. The 22-year-old winger from Crystal Palace is shining brightly with Thierry Henry’s French team at the men’s football tournament of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. And the Blues have reached the final of the event (Friday 6 p.m. against Spain) after a stunning victory against Egypt (3-1), after extra time, Monday evening in the immense Groupama Stadium.
Olise preferred not to stop in front of the journalists after the match in the suburbs of Lyon, he, the London native trained at Chelsea and Manchester City who opted for the French selection rather than the English (his mother is French of Algerian origin, his father is Nigerian). He was nevertheless involved in the three French goals of the day: he launched Jean-Philippe Mateta in the middle for the equalizer (83rd) and made a cross from the right which allowed Kiliann Sildillia to put the ball back for Mateta for 2-1 (99th), before scoring the third French goal (108th). Here he is with two goals and three assists in four starts at the Olympics.
Dembélé in danger
Michael Olise will not only change dimension in a few days by joining Bayern Munich, who spent 53 million euros (before bonuses) for this player who would have easily had his place at PSG for example. A certain Ousmane Dembélé can for example worry about the young competition that Olise represents if he is called up by Didier Deschamps to the A team in September, for the first two Nations League clashes against Italy and Belgium. Olise is a dribbling and passing winger and this reminds us that “Dembouz”, author of a very disappointing Euro, is an old-school overflow winger, dependent on the success of his teammates.
The international hopeful had already shone during the second half of the season in the Premier League with the Eagles but he has shown, on an international scale, that he has the talent to be an attacking leader. “Mike” Olise is clearly the X-factor of the French Olympique team, with Manu Koné at number 6, because Lacazette and Mateta are often clumsy in the game. It is up to him to make the difference against La Roja on Friday at the Parc des Princes. Where the next France-Italy match will be played, in a month, on Friday September 6.
