Embarrassed Michael Olise dodges 'Ballon d'Or' chants after stunning 10-minute masterclass saves Zinedine Zidane's France against Belgium

In a night that felt like a passing of the torch, Olise completely transformed the atmosphere at the Stade de France. Coming off the bench in the 60th minute for Ousmane Dembele, the 24-year-old took just ten minutes to rip through the Belgian defence. He registered two goals and an assist in the closing stages, turning a tense affair into a comfortable 4-1 rout after Dodi Lukebakio had originally put the visitors ahead. Alongside Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki, Olise spearheaded a youthful revolution that has revitalised Les Bleus under the management of Zinedine Zidane.

The performance was so dominant that the French supporters began chanting "Olise, Ballon d'Or" from the stands, echoing the treatment previously given to Dembele before his 2025 triumph. The Bayern forward has become a statistical anomaly since Zidane took the reins, with four goals and two assists in his first four matches under the new coach.

Despite the overwhelming praise and the rapturous reception from the home crowd, Olise appeared visibly uncomfortable with the spotlight. When asked directly about the "Ballon d'Or" chants by TF1 on the pitch, the winger was quick to shut down the individual narrative. "I have nothing to say," he replied curtly before heading toward the tunnel, as cited by RMC Sport.

Reflecting on the match, he preferred to focus on how the team overcame a difficult start against a disciplined Belgian setup. "We played well at the end," he said. "The first half was difficult. Against low blocks, it is always difficult but after we continued and at the end it was good."

His analysis reflected a growing maturity in his game, particularly in his candid assessment of the tactical hurdles France had to overcome before their late surge. He credited this turnaround directly to the new strategic vision under Zidane, emphasizing the squad's complete buy-in.

Olise pointed to their recent performance as clear evidence of progress, noting: "Zinedine Zidane brings ideas and we follow them. We did well in the four matches and we'll continue like this. It's a pleasure to play here with the French national team. There are many quality players."

An extraordinary drama unfolded at the Stade de France as Les Bleus initially struggled to threaten a dominant Belgium side, only for clever tactical adjustments from Zidane to dramatically turn the tide in favor of the hosts. Although France currently holds on to the top spot in their Nations League group, Italy's recent victory keeps the pressure firmly on and prevents early quarter-final qualification. The high-stakes drama will reach its climax during the upcoming November international window, where France faces a daunting away fixture against Italy before hosting Turkiye in their final group outing.