# Michael Olise

Michael Akpovie Olise (/ˈmaɪkəl ɒˈliseɪ/; MY-kəl o-LEE-say; French:; Igbo:; born 12 December 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder and winger for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. He plays for the France national team.
The product of various English academies, Olise made his professional debut for Reading in 2019. In 2021, he was signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace, where he spent three seasons and was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year in 2024, before moving to Bayern.

## Early life

Olise was born in White City, Greater London, England, and raised in Hayes, Greater London, to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother.

## Club career
### Early career

Olise joined Hayes and Yeading around the age of six, before joining the Chelsea Academy. He was a youth player at Arsenal, Chelsea (spending seven years with them before leaving aged 14), and Manchester City.

### Reading

In July 2018, Olise was inducted into Reading's Academy scholarship program. He made his debut for Reading on 12 March 2019, in a 3–0 home defeat to Leeds United, and on 15 July, he signed a three-year professional contract with the club. He scored his first league goal for Reading on 19 September 2020, volleying home in the 76th minute with the second goal in a 2–0 win over Barnsley at the Madejski Stadium. In April 2021 he was nominated for the EFL Young Player of the Season. On 29 April 2021, he was crowned EFL Young Player of the Season.

### Crystal Palace

On 8 July 2021, Olise signed a five-year deal with Premier League side Crystal Palace after they had activated his £8.37 million release clause.
On 11 September 2021, he made his Premier League debut for the club in a 3–0 home win against Tottenham after coming on as a substitute in the 86th minute in place of Jordan Ayew. Later that month, on 23 September, Olise made his full debut for Crystal Palace in a 1–1 home draw against Newcastle United.
On 3 October 2021, Olise scored his first Premier League goal for the club as a second-half substitute in a 2–2 home draw against Leicester City. In doing so he became Palace's youngest Premier League scorer since Clinton Morrison in 1998.
On 9 April 2023, Olise became the youngest player to assist three goals from open play in a single Premier League match in a 5–1 victory against Leeds United. On 13 May, he became the first Palace player to register ten assists in a single Premier League season, setting up Eberechi Eze's second goal in a 2–0 win against Bournemouth. On 17 August 2023, it was announced Olise had signed a new four-year deal with Crystal Palace, amidst reports that he was on the verge of re-joining Chelsea.
Olise suffered a hamstring injury described by Palace manager Roy Hodgson as "serious" in a 4–1 defeat by Brighton on 3 February 2024, having only just come on as a substitute. He returned from injury in April that year, which was followed by strong performances including scoring a brace in a 4–0 victory over Manchester United on 6 May. He eventually concluded the season with ten goals and six assists in just 19 appearances across the season, having been invigorated under coach Oliver Glasner, and was later nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year. His impressive form attracted interest from other Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Newcastle United. On 7 July, the club announced that he had completed a permanent transfer to Bayern Munich, with Olise penning the club a farewell message on Instagram.

### Bayern Munich

On 7 July 2024, Bundesliga club Bayern Munich announced the signing of Olise from Crystal Palace on a five-year contract valid through to 30 June 2029, for a reported transfer fee of €60m including add-ons.
Olise made his debut as a substitute in a 4–0 DFB-Pokal win against SSV Ulm on 16 August, registering an assist for Kingsley Coman's goal within two minutes of entering the pitch. On 14 September, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 6–1 victory over Holstein Kiel. Three days later, he scored a brace, his first goals at the Allianz Arena, on his UEFA Champions League debut, a 9–2 win over Dinamo Zagreb.

## International career

Olise was born in England to a Nigerian father and French-Algerian mother, and is eligible to represent France, Algeria, England or Nigeria internationally. On 27 May 2019, he was called up to the France U18 for the 2019 Toulon Tournament. He made his debut on 2 June 2019, against Qatar U23. In March 2021, Olise was named as a standby for the Nigeria squad taking part in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.
In March 2022, Olise was called up to the France under-21 team for the first time, and made his debut in the side's 2–0 win over the Faroe Islands on 24 March.
On 8 July 2024, he was called up in France's final squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He had previously received his first cap with the French Olympic team on 4 July during a friendly game against Paraguay. One week later, on 11 July, he scored his first two goals during another friendly match, a 7–0 win against Dominican Republic. On 24 July, during France's Olympic opener against the United States, he scored a goal, contributing to the team's 3–0 victory. He finished the tournament with two goals and five assists.
On 29 August, Olise was called up to the France national team for the first time by manager Didier Deschamps, for France's matches against Italy and Belgium in the UEFA Nations League. He made his debut 6 September 2024 against Italy at the Parc des Princes. He started the game and played 58 minutes as France lost 1–3.

## Style of play

Olise is a left-footed attacking midfielder who can play as a number 10, or either side of this position as a left or right-sided attacking midfielder. He possesses a range of passing which he can use often to play in behind the opposition defence or switch the angle of attack. He likes to operate 50 to 30 yards out from goal in the right half-space, where he can use various options to continue the attack.
On the ball, Olise is an agile and mobile player. He is capable of turning quickly with good acceleration and change of pace, even when he is dribbling in very tight spaces or running with the ball.

## Personal life

Olise's younger brother Richard is also a footballer and joined Chelsea as an Under-9, representing England at youth level.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Reading | 2018–19 | Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Reading | 2019–20 | Championship | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 |
| Reading | 2020–21 | Championship | 44 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 46 | 7 |
| Reading | Total | Total | 67 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 73 | 7 |
| Crystal Palace | 2021–22 | Premier League | 26 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 4 |
| Crystal Palace | 2022–23 | Premier League | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 2 |
| Crystal Palace | 2023–24 | Premier League | 19 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 10 |
| Crystal Palace | Total | Total | 82 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 90 | 16 |
| Bayern Munich | 2024–25 | Bundesliga | 26 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 5 | 40 | 13 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 175 | 29 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 203 | 36 |
* ↑ Includes FA Cup, DFB-Pokal
* ↑ Includes EFL Cup
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

### International

    As of match played 14 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| France | 2024 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 4 | 0 |

## Honours

France U23
* Summer Olympics silver medal: 2024
Individual
* EFL Championship Young Player of the Season: 2020–21
* EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2020–21
* Premier League Goal of the Month: January 2023
* PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 Championship
* Reading Scholar of the Season: 2018−19
* Crystal Palace Players' Player of the Season: 2022–23
* Crystal Palace Goal of the Season: 2022–23
* Bundesliga Rookie of the Month: October 2024
Orders
* Knight of the National Order of Merit: 2024