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Michael Olise
Footballer (born 2001) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Michael Akpovie Olise (/ˈmaɪkəl ɒˈliseɪ/;[3] MY-kəl o-LEE-say; French: [maikəl olisɛ];[4][5] Igbo: [maɪ̯.kɛl ɔ.li.se]; born 12 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger and attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Born in England, he plays for the France national team.
The product of various English academies, Olise made his professional debut for Reading in 2019. In 2021, he was signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace, where he spent three seasons and was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year in 2024, before moving to Bayern.
Olise represented France at youth level and was included in their squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics. He made his debut for the senior French team in September 2024.[6]
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Early life
Olise was born in White City, Greater London, England, and raised in Hayes, Greater London,[7] to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother.[8] In an interview with FC Bayern Magazine 51, when asked about his nationality he said "I actually come from four countries: France, Algeria, Nigeria and Great Britain. I consider myself very lucky to possess these four parts, which all enrich me. I feel each individual part in me, I've developed attachments in all my countries."[9]
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Club career
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Early career
Olise joined Hayes and Yeading around the age of six, before joining the Chelsea Academy.[7] He was a youth player at Arsenal, Chelsea (spending seven years with them before leaving aged 14), and Manchester City.[10]
Reading
In July 2018, Olise was inducted into Reading's Academy scholarship program.[11][12] He made his debut for Reading on 12 March 2019, in a 3–0 home defeat to Leeds United,[13] and on 15 July, he signed a three-year professional contract with the club.[14] He scored his first league goal for Reading on 19 September 2020, volleying home in the 76th minute with the second goal in a 2–0 win over Barnsley at the Madejski Stadium.[15]
In April 2021 he was nominated for the EFL Young Player of the Season.[16][17] On 29 April 2021, he was crowned EFL Young Player of the Season.[18]
Crystal Palace
On 8 July 2021, Olise signed a five-year deal with Premier League side Crystal Palace after they had activated his £8.37 million release clause.[19]
On 11 September 2021, he made his Premier League debut for the club in a 3–0 home win against Tottenham after coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute in place of Jordan Ayew.[20][21] Later that month, on 23 September, Olise made his full debut for Crystal Palace in a 1–1 home draw against Newcastle United.[22][23] On 3 October 2021, Olise scored his first Premier League goal for the club as a second-half substitute in a 2–2 home draw against Leicester City.[24] In doing so he became Palace's youngest Premier League scorer since Clinton Morrison in 1998.[25]
On 9 April 2023, Olise became the youngest player to assist three goals from open play in a single Premier League match in a 5–1 victory against Leeds United.[26][27] On 13 May, he became the first Palace player to register ten assists in a single Premier League season, setting up Eberechi Eze's second goal in a 2–0 win against Bournemouth.[28] On 17 August 2023, it was announced Olise had signed a new four-year deal with Crystal Palace, amidst reports that he was on the verge of re-joining Chelsea.[29]
Olise suffered a hamstring injury described by Palace manager Roy Hodgson as "serious" in a 4–1 defeat by Brighton on 3 February 2024, having only just come on as a substitute.[30] He returned from injury in April that year, which was followed by strong performances including scoring a brace in a 4–0 victory over Manchester United on 6 May.[31][32] He eventually concluded the season with ten goals and six assists in just 19 appearances across the season, having been invigorated under new coach Oliver Glasner, and was later nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year.[33] His impressive form attracted interest from other Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United.[34][35] On 7 July, Crystal Palace announced that he had completed a permanent transfer to Bayern Munich, with Olise penning the club a farewell message on Instagram.[36]
Bayern Munich
On 7 July 2024, Bundesliga club Bayern Munich announced the signing of Olise from Crystal Palace on a five-year contract valid through to 30 June 2029,[37][38] for a reported transfer fee of €60m including add-ons.[39]
Olise made his debut as a substitute in a 4–0 DFB-Pokal win against SSV Ulm on 16 August, registering an assist for Kingsley Coman's goal within two minutes of entering the pitch.[40] On 14 September, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 6–1 victory over Holstein Kiel.[41] Three days later, he scored a brace, his first goals at the Allianz Arena, on his UEFA Champions League debut, a 9–2 win over Dinamo Zagreb.[42] He concluded his debut season with 12 goals and 15 assists, ending as the league's top assist provider.[43]
On 15 June 2025, he netted a brace in a 10–0 win against Auckland City in the opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup,[44] before scoring the winner in a 2–1 victory against Boca Juniors, securing his club's qualification to the competition's knockout phase.[45]
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International career
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Olise was born in England to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother, and was eligible to represent France, Algeria, England or Nigeria internationally.[46]
When asked why he chose to represent France rather than England, Olise said, 'I have always had a connection with the France national team, that is why I play for France.'[47] 'It's been my dream since I was a kid' to play in the French team.[48]
Youth
On 27 May 2019, Olise was called up to the France national under-18 team for the 2019 Toulon Tournament.[49] He made his debut on 2 June 2019, against Qatar U23. In March 2021, Olise was named as a standby for the Nigeria squad taking part in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.[50] In March 2022, Olise was called up to the France under-21 team for the first time,[51] and made his debut in the side's 2–0 win over the Faroe Islands on 24 March.[52]
On 8 July 2024, he was called up in France's final squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics.[53] He had previously received his first cap with the French Olympic team on 4 July during a friendly game against Paraguay.[54] One week later, on 11 July, he scored his first two goals during another friendly match, a 7–0 win against the Dominican Republic.[55] On 24 July, during France's Olympic opener against the United States, he scored a goal, contributing to the team's 3–0 victory.[56] He ended the tournament with two goals and five assists as France finished runners-up, winning the silver medal.
Senior
On 29 August 2024, Olise was called up to the senior France national team for the first time by manager Didier Deschamps, for their matches against Italy and Belgium in the UEFA Nations League.[57] He made his debut on 6 September against Italy at the Parc des Princes, starting the game and playing 58 minutes in a 3–1 loss.[58]
On 23 March 2025, he scored his first senior goal for France in a 2–0 win over Croatia in the second leg of the Nations League quarter-finals, also recording an assist to help his side overturn a two-goal aggregate deficit and advance to the next stage of the competition.[59] During the Nations League Finals on 8 June, he netted in a 2–0 victory against Germany in the third place play-off.[60]
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Style of play
Olise is a left-footed attacking midfielder who can play as a number 10, or either side of this position as a left or right-sided attacking midfielder. He possesses a range of passing skills, which he can often use to play behind the opposition's defense or switch the angle of attack. He likes to operate 50 to 30 yards out from goal in the right half-space, where he can use various options to continue the attack.[61][62]
On the ball, Olise is an agile and mobile player. He is capable of turning quickly with good acceleration and change of pace, even when he is dribbling in very tight spaces or running with the ball.[63] In an interview with Bayern Munich's magazine 51, Olise spoke of his idolisation for Neymar as a child, stating that he "liked his tricky style of play. You learn things from lots of players, though - that way you become complete."[9]
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Personal life
Olise's younger brother Richard is also a footballer and joined Chelsea as an Under-9, representing England at youth level.[64]
Career statistics
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Club
- As of match played 5 July 2025[65]
- Includes EFL Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
International
- As of match played 8 June 2025[72]
Scores and results list France's goal tally first.[72]
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Honours
Bayern Munich
France U23
- Summer Olympics silver medal: 2024[74]
France
- UEFA Nations League third place: 2024–25[75]
Individual
- EFL Championship Young Player of the Season: 2020–21[76]
- EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2020–21[77]
- Premier League Goal of the Month: January 2023[78]
- PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 Championship[79]
- Reading Scholar of the Season: 2018−19[80]
- Crystal Palace Players' Player of the Season: 2022–23[81]
- Crystal Palace Goal of the Season: 2022–23[82]
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Season: 2024–25[83]
- Bundesliga Player of the Month: April 2025[84]
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: October 2024[85]
- Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2024–25[86]
- VDV Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2024–25[87]
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References
External links
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