Michael Olise’s career narrative highlights a significant missed opportunity for English football.
Hailing from Hammersmith, west London, the 24-year-old honed his skills within the youth setups of prominent clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City before rising to prominence at Reading and Crystal Palace.
Despite his English roots, he now proudly represents Bayern Munich and is set to join Kylian Mbappe and other stars in a formidable French squad at the upcoming World Cup this summer.
It’s easy to envision him achieving a remarkable Champions League and World Cup double, with a potential Ballon d’Or award not beyond the realm of possibility.
Indeed, his talent is exceptional. Anyone who witnessed him play during his time at Selhurst Park, the Madejski Stadium, or even on local park pitches, remembers a gifted youngster brimming with skill, inventiveness, and promise.
Today, he embodies all those qualities and more, having evolved into a true global star and an indispensable component of an formidable Bayern team.
Michael Olise is rapidly cementing his status as a European football superstar – it would be no shock to see him conclude the year with both a World Cup and Champions League winner’s medal.
Despite his upbringing in England, the French international Olise will not be joining forces with his club teammate Harry Kane for the World Cup campaign.
The Bayern squad boasts manager Vincent Kompany, who is establishing himself as a standout young coach; Harry Kane, having achieved a personal best of 49 goals this season with games remaining; and former Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, whose game has reached new levels.
Serge Gnabry, at 30, is experiencing a resurgence in form. The team’s midfield displays characteristic German efficiency, infused with a unique touch from Pep Guardiola’s protege, Kompany — who remarkably shares an age with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, currently enjoying a late-career revival.
However, it is Olise who is generating significant buzz. His performance in the first leg of Bayern’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid last week was magnificent. Operating effectively from wide positions or asserting dominance centrally, the £52 million signing offers pure entertainment.
Sean Conlon, a former Chelsea coach, first encountered Olise at the age of six, playing for Hayes and Yeading – a club he joined after his parents, Vincent and Mina, noticed an advertisement in the local publication, the Hayes Gazette. Conlon then extended an invitation for Olise to join an Under 8s squad primarily composed of players training at Chelsea’s Cobham facility.
‘Even at that young age, he was an incredibly gifted player,’ Conlon shared with Daily Mail Sport. ‘His physical attributes and movements were quite similar to how they are now: graceful patterns, an economical running style, and outstanding coordination. By the Under 8s, he elevated his game further, as his keen intelligence started to become evident.’
‘What makes Michael truly exceptional is a blend of factors. His wonderful family environment—Mina and Vincent are remarkable individuals who have done an outstanding job nurturing Michael and his brother Richard (who currently plays for Chelsea).’
‘They instilled strong values in them and provided unwavering support for them to pursue their ambitions.’
Michael Richards, Olise’s coach for the Hayes Under 7s, remarked: ‘Right from the initial training session, it was clear he operated on a completely different level from the other children. It was essentially the Michael and Bukayo spectacle. Both players were outstanding, significantly surpassing everyone else.’
Olise (on the right), pictured alongside coach Sean Conlon, his brother Richard, and their father Vincent during his time in the Chelsea academy.
And during his tenure at his inaugural senior club, Reading, which benefited significantly from a windfall when Olise transferred to Bayern.
Richards was, naturally, speaking of Bukayo Saka. The Arsenal and England standout played for Greenford Celtic, a short distance from Olise’s squad, and the two were, by far, the most exceptional talents in the region.
Reports indicate they have maintained contact, and when Saka sustained a severe hamstring injury last year, Olise extended a message of encouragement. A potential Bayern-Arsenal final remains on the cards, as the two teams are slated to avoid each other in the semi-finals, assuming both advance on Wednesday.
Saka isn’t Olise’s only acquaintance at Arsenal. He also keeps in contact with Eberechi Eze, following their three years together at Crystal Palace. The duo frequently brought a chess board to away matches, playing in their hotel rooms and honing their skills by watching YouTube guides.
Mirroring his prowess in online chess tournaments, Olise consistently outmaneuvers opponents on the football field. This season, he has amassed 29 assists and 17 goals. Last season, he contributed 23 assists and 20 goals, bringing his total to an impressive 89 goal contributions across his last 97 appearances for Bayern.
Among players in Europe’s top five leagues over the past two years, only Kane and Mbappe – his teammates both domestically and internationally – boast superior numbers.
‘His physical attributes enable him to be exceptionally agile and precise in his movements, allowing him to receive the ball in diverse scenarios, and also to effectively destabilize and bypass adversaries,’ Conlon elaborated. He is currently based in Miami, where he is expanding his franchise, We Make Footballers, across the United States.
‘Michael’s unique character allows him to approach the game differently from typical footballers. He has also navigated various echelons of football throughout his career. Personally, he embodies a true footballer in every sense. His passion for the game is immense. He’s incredibly courteous and simply adores football.
‘Any club globally would be eager to have Michael on their roster. Be it France or England, Real Madrid, or even the members of my Goals Team who regularly inquire if I could ever persuade him to play with them again!’
‘His physical prowess grants him exceptional agility and precision in his movements, enabling him to control the ball in diverse scenarios and effectively destabilize and circumvent opponents.’
Olise maintains a close friendship with Eberechi Eze (right), his former Crystal Palace teammate and chess rival.
Meanwhile, in Berkshire, Reading – the club that embraced a 15-year-old Olise after his departure from City – continues to be grateful for him, thanks to the sell-on fees generated by his transfer to Bayern. ‘Michael’s a person I’ve never encountered, yet I express my gratitude for him nightly,’ quipped chairman Rob Couhig, who assumed leadership of the Royals following a tumultuous period that jeopardized their survival.
The financial benefits derived from Olise’s move continue to positively impact the League One play-off contenders today.
Conversely, Chelsea might harbor less gratitude, having believed they secured his signature in 2023, only for Olise to extend his contract at Palace—a move that greatly pleased chairman Steve Parish. Currently at Bayern, there’s talk of him being irreplaceable, even for a world-record transfer sum.
Similar to the sentiment at Stamford Bridge, the FA offices will likely experience regret when Olise takes the field for France this summer. With a British-Nigerian father and a Franco-Algerian mother, he had the option of representing four different nations, but has stated he consistently felt a ‘connection’ to the French squad.
Undoubtedly, the on-field synergy between England’s captain Kane and the player who has provided him with 12 assists at Bayern this season would have represented an indispensable asset for Thomas Tuchel.
Instead, this gifted individual, who developed through five English professional clubs, now serves as a pivotal figure for one of the Three Lions’ primary tournament adversaries. Having honed his skills on the park pitches and street cages of south London, Olise now commands global attention.