All posts tagged: Michael Olise

Who is Michael Olise – Mbappé’s wingman, as French captain chases Messi’s goal count

Who is Michael Olise – Mbappé’s wingman, as French captain chases Messi’s goal count

Published by Webster

5 min readJun 23, 2026 09:00 AM IST There are 75 players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup who are born in France – representing around 10 nations. Michael Olise, the lynchpin of the French attack, the puppeteer pulling the strings from the right wing, while setting up Kylian Mbappé’s strikes – isn’t one. Olise was born in London. He has been called the ‘today and tomorrow’ of French football by Mbappé, after his assists first helped France steady early nerves and a ponderous first half against Senegal, when the French captain finally scored. Against Iraq in a rain-drenched game, Olise was quicker to get France going, when his pinpoint service to Mbappé took his captain to 15 World Cup goals in his 100th match. Roving on the right, well out of the defensive unit’s peripheral sights, Olise kept pinging in precise passes that the French forwards could convert, with Dembele receiving an Olise assist and scoring the French third in a 3-0 win. ALSO READ | Mbappé approaching Messi’s 18-goal record in World Cup’s …

Mbappé approaching Messi’s 18 goal record in World Cup’s leaderboard charge

Mbappé approaching Messi’s 18 goal record in World Cup’s leaderboard charge

Published by Webster

4 min readUpdated: Jun 23, 2026 07:21 AM IST ‘A heavy thunderstorm is approaching’ – read the giant scoreboard at the Lincoln Financial in Philadelphia as fat raindrops pelted down in the France-Iraq game. For those football-inclined, it was on ominous warning of Kylian Mbappé chasing down the all-time scoring record that was claimed by Lionel Messi only a couple of hours ago, as he went past Miroslav Klose’s 16 to reach 18. Mbappé, at age 27 had reached 16 by the time France defeated Iraq 3-0, scoring his first two on either side of lightning and rain that forced fans onto the concourses, when it was evident a flimsy poncho was not going to be enough. Messi turns 39 and will celebrate it with 5 goals from his 2026 games. But a thunderstorm is indeed approaching, as the fluid, feisty, full of flair, fearsome French forwardline led by Mbappé are blasting off bangers of their own, come rain or storm. ALSO READ | Record-breaking Lionel Messi’s longevity is truly remarkable His first came off …