France legend Thierry Henry: 'Michael Olise is on another planet'
Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise’s display in France’s FIFA World Cup 2026 round-of-32 victory over Sweden left many onlookers speechless - including Les Bleus legend Thierry Henry.
Olise set up two of France’s goals in his team’s comfortable 3-0 victory on Tuesday evening, lifting him top of the tournament’s assist chart with five in only four appearances.
He also nearly scored one of the World Cup’s all-time great goals in New Jersey, sending a spectacular scissor-kick against the post shortly before Kylian Mbappé’s opener.
Speaking to FOX Sports after the game, Henry was running out of superlatives to describe the winger, who hit 22 goals and 29 assists in all competitions for Bayern last term.
“Michael is a freak,” he said. “The way he sees stuff is just not the same as [the way] others see stuff. Sometimes he drifts a bit out of the game because he sees everything so perfectly and so quickly, but what a player.
“What he does off the ball is second to none. Usually when you’re the type of guy - technical or whatnot - you forget about the defensive duties. He doesn’t.”
Former Arsenal and Barcelona frontman Henry, who coached Olise during his time in charge of France’s Olympic football team, added it was clear several years ago that the winger was destined for the very top.
“Sometimes he was doing stuff in training and you needed to hold yourself from going, ‘wow’. You’re trying to talk to your assistant: ‘Did you see what he just did?’ This guy is on another planet.
“MVP will always be Kylian, because Kylian will hit numbers that nobody can. But the most important player is Michael Olise.”
Olise and France - who are widely regarded as favourites to win the tournament - will face Paraguay in the round of 16 on Saturday, 4 July.
