Why Olise Has Entered the Ballon d'Or Conversation — and Why His Own France Camp Is Pumping the Brakes
With 5 assists at the World Cup, Olise is already being compared to Zidane and Platini. But France's assistant coach is urging caution — and the player himself, as ever, says nothing.
Patrick Vieira had no hesitation: "We had Michel Platini, we had Zinedine Zidane, now we have Michael Olise," the 1998 World Cup winner told ITV Football. That is a bold claim for a player still in the quarter-final stage of a World Cup — but Olise's numbers justify the noise.
With five assists, he leads that statistic in the tournament. One more and he draws level with Pelé, who laid on six goals at the 1970 World Cup — the best tally recorded since. The chance to match the King comes this Thursday, when France face Morocco in the quarter-finals in Boston.
Inside the camp, however, the enthusiasm is measured. Assistant coach Guy Stéphan acknowledges the talent but tempers the comparisons: "it may be a little premature to compare him with names like Platini and Zidane," he said at a press conference. At the same time, he painted a curious portrait of the player: "He is not someone who talks a lot, whether in French or English," Stéphan quipped, adding that Olise is "introverted, but can be very pleasant" and has "a feel for football."
Olise's story has layers. Born in London to a Nigerian father and a Franco-Algerian mother, he had four national teams available to him. He chose France out of affection — childhood trips to the country and admiration for Zidane, Henry and Ribéry. Today, it is precisely Zidane he is being compared to.
France have won every game at this World Cup so far, and the Golmetria model gives them a 52.7% chance of reaching the semi-finals. Thursday's opponents Morocco have a 10.2% probability at that same stage — but they have surprised before and know how to play knockout football.
If Olise does draw level with Pelé in assists, Vieira's question will only grow louder. The player's own silence, perhaps, is the most intriguing answer of all.