Michael Olise has become a rare modern footballer whose output is matched by instinct, flair and the freedom to play outside the usual tactical patterns.
That makes an old 2024 claim from Mark Goldbridge look increasingly outdated. “I’d take Neto over Olise and more importantly so would Pep, Klopp and Arteta,” he wrote.
The argument reflected a game increasingly shaped by optimisation. In 2026, numbers, data and measurable output dominate football, with top-level teams becoming more structured and coaches placing ever greater value on relentless work-rate.
That explains why a player such as Neto might be prized by managers. But Olise has since developed the production to go with his spontaneity, scoring 25 goals and providing 28 assists for Bayern Munich last season before starring for France at the World Cup and entering Ballon d’Or contention.
He has also established himself as the kind of player who seems to operate by his own rules, rather than simply fitting into the conventional mould.
Against Italy on Friday, in a fixture that could be dubbed the Zidane-Materazzi derby, Olise opened the scoring with a superb free-kick. The ball struck the underside of the crossbar on its way in, leaving Gianluigi Donnarumma rooted to the spot.
The match ended 1-1, but the goal had the quality of a moment likely to reappear in football montages for years to come.
Opta says Olise is only the third player to score two free-kicks for France since 2000. Dimitri Payet is another, while the remaining player is Zinedine Zidane.
After France’s win against Belgium, when Olise scored a brilliant solo goal and prompted Zidane to kick a loose ball towards the Dutch border, the France manager praised the winger’s ability.
“I went along with the play and I wanted to be part of it,” he said. “I sensed he was off on a dribble and he made an exceptional play, so I wanted to follow him.
“And then I saw the ball there, and I told myself I had to shoot it. It might be a little bit ridiculous, but it doesn’t matter.
“I saw him dribble past a defender, and I said to myself, ‘He’s going to score’. I was cheering him on with all my heart. He is an extraordinary talent. I love this type of player.
“When he plays, he wants to entertain the fans. But it doesn’t stop there. He has a great sense of the game, he anticipates opponents’ movements, and he knows when to attack and when to drop back.”
Olise’s spontaneity was first noticed at Reading and developed at Crystal Palace. His move to Bayern Munich in 2024 spared him from joining one of the Premier League’s most rigid elite clubs, where his long-range shooting might have been sacrificed to data-led football.
There are now efforts at academy level to restore creativity, including Benfica using flat balls, Ajax introducing two-versus-two games on circular concrete areas and Feyenoord doing the same on sand.
Yet Olise is already operating beyond the point where tactical restrictions can help him. Even Pep, Klopp and Arteta would surely allow him to express himself. Zidane certainly does.
