Arjen Robben reborn? How Michael Olise is replicating greatness at Bayern Munich

After an outstanding debut season at the Allianz Arena, Michael Olise continues to go from strength to strength under Vincent Kompany in 2025/26, with his elegant dribbling and eye for goal reminiscent of a certain former Bayern Munich wing wizard.

A daring winger with a frightening left foot and a penchant for cutting inside before delivering a hammer blow to opponents - sound familiar?

Well to Bayern fans, watching Olise glide down the right flank week after week could evoke a sense of déjà-vu, with his ability to dart inside onto his left and slice open defences eerily similar to that of former club great, Arjen Robben.

Having also made a name for himself at a London Premier League club in his youth, Robben then went on to cement his name as a legend of European football at Bayern, and leaves huge boots to fill for anyone who dares occupy the right side of their attack. But their current French phenomenon seems up for the challenge.

Watch: The best of Olise in 2025/26

Although Robben’s journey to Munich involved a stint at Real Madrid beforehand, their paths are otherwise similar, with Olise’s spell at Crystal Palace earning him his big move to the Rekordmeister. While Olise still has a way to go to reach the heights of the former Dutch wing demon, his current form hints that he could well get there one day.

Bayern’s Matchday 11 dismantling of Freiburg saw Olise slam home two goals and provide three assists, making him the first Bundesliga player to register five or more goal involvements in a single game since his teammate, Harry Kane, in 2023. Those were his 28th and 29th goals in red and white which have been scored in 73 games in all competitions.

Watch: Olise runs the show vs. Freiburg

About the players

17

Michael

Olise

FC Bayern München

Up until now, Olise has averaged a goal every 178 minutes, which is still bested by Robben’s average of 141 over his time in Bavaria, but not a million miles away. However, while Olise may not yet be scoring with the same regularity as Robben once did, he’s certainly doing so in the same manner, as his second goal, and Bayern’s sixth, against Freiburg proved.

Having danced past a swarm of Freiburg shirts, the Frenchman swept the ball into the top corner with the inside of his left peg, giving Noah Atubolu no chance and sending the Bayern faithful into a frenzy.

That magnificent finish took Olise to 18 Bundesliga goals for his side since joining, 16 of which have been scored with his left foot (89%). Robben, meanwhile, scored 84 of his 99 goals with his left foot (85%). That’s not the only metric where Olise currently lies ahead of him, either, with the Frenchman currently recording an assist every 153 minutes on average, compared to Robben’s record of 297 minutes.

Although Olise has a much smaller sample size than the Dutchman, the similarity between their statistics across the board provides reason for real optimism about the heights that the former Palace man could reach in Bavaria given his electrifying start to life there.

Watch: The amazing similarities between Arjen Robben and Michael Olise

Whether scoring or assisting, Olise is currently involved in a goal every 82 minutes, while Robben’s average stands at 96 minutes. Similarly, Olise is involved in 23 duels (attacking or defensive) per 90 minutes, while Robben contested an average of 20. The 23-year-old also has the edge over passes leading to shots per 90 minutes (3.5), only just bettering Robben’s record of 3.2.

Their numbers continue to jump back and forth, with the former no.10’s average sprints per game (22) still ahead of the former Reading man’s 21, and his top speed (34.6 km/h) also leaving Olise (33.9 km/h) chasing behind.

Despite the minor differences in statistics, they still manage to tell the same story, which is one of two fierce, and almost unstoppable, wingers of the highest calibre. That fact is made apparent when we look the consistency with which opponents past and present have tried, and failed, to stop these two.

Watch: Arjen Robben’s top 5 goals

In his Bundesliga career, Robben was fouled an average of 1.8 times per 90 minutes (275 in total), while Olise has been unfairly stopped in his tracks an average of 2.3 times per 90 (83 in total) in his time in Germany so far.

With plenty of football left to play this season, it’s likely that Olise’s numbers will continue to creep toward those of the former Bayern hero, whose legacy will remain for years to come. But, with every feint inside and every swing of his left foot, Olise hints that he could bring some of that same joy to Bayern fans as the Dutchman once did.

About the clubs

FC Bayern München

Allianz Arena