Michael Olise’s outstanding form for France has placed the Bayern Munich winger on the verge of rewriting football history, with the 23-year-old now within touching distance of assist milestones associated with legends such as Pele and Lionel Messi.
France great Thierry Henry recently underlined Olise’s growing influence by describing him as the team’s “Most Important Player” rather than simply its most valuable one. While captain Kylian Mbappe continues to attract much of the attention, Henry argued that Olise has become the creative heartbeat of the French side during the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
Judging by his performances so far, the former Arsenal striker’s assessment is difficult to dispute. Olise has emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers, consistently creating chances and delivering decisive final passes. His latest display against Sweden, in which he registered two assists, has brought him level with one of Diego Maradona’s long-standing World Cup records while also moving him within striking distance of Pele’s historic mark.
According to statistics compiled by football data platform Opta, Pele holds the record for the most assists in a single FIFA World Cup since detailed records began in 1966. The Brazilian icon produced six assists during Brazil’s triumphant 1970 World Cup campaign, a figure that has remained unmatched for more than five decades.
Before this tournament, only four players had reached five assists in a single World Cup. Poland’s Robert Gadocha achieved the feat in 1974, Germany’s Pierre Littbarski matched it in 1982, Argentina legend Diego Maradona did the same in 1986, and Germany’s Thomas Hässler equalled the tally in 1994.
With his two assists against Sweden, Olise has now joined that distinguished group. He has accumulated five assists in the current tournament, drawing level with Gadocha, Littbarski, Maradona and Hässler. France’s Round of 16 clash against Paraguay now presents him with an opportunity to equal Pele’s record of six assists or even establish a new benchmark by providing two more.
Olise’s remarkable creativity is not confined to international football. He is also closing in on another notable milestone that combines his performances for club and country.
Messi and Juan Mata each recorded 34 assists for club and country during a single season—Messi in 2011–12 and Mata in 2012–13. Mesut Özil follows closely with 33 assists in the 2010–11 campaign.
Following his latest two assists at the World Cup, Olise has now amassed 32 assists this season for Bayern Munich and France combined. That leaves him only one assist behind Özil’s tally and two short of matching the combined seasonal total achieved by Messi and Mata. Should he register three more assists before the end of France’s campaign, he would surpass that mark.
Olise’s rise has been one of the defining stories of the season. Since joining Bayern Munich, he has established himself as one of Europe’s most effective creative players, combining intelligent movement, accurate crossing, precise passing and exceptional vision in the final third. Those qualities have seamlessly carried over to the international stage, where he has repeatedly unlocked opposing defences with decisive contributions.
France’s hopes of lifting another World Cup title will continue to depend heavily on the performances of both Mbappe and Olise. While Mbappe remains the team’s primary goalscoring threat, Olise has become its chief creator, supplying the opportunities that have powered France’s attacking play throughout the tournament.
If his current form continues into the knockout stages, Olise could soon find himself alongside—or even ahead of—some of football’s greatest names in the record books. Matching or surpassing milestones associated with Pele and Messi would represent another significant achievement in what is rapidly becoming a career-defining season for the French winger.