The Bayern forward is now the third favourite in the Golden Ball outright market. It's time to back Olise before the market catches up.
| 2026 World Cup Golden Ball market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kylian Mbappe | 2.75 |
| Lionel Messi | 4.00 |
| Michael Olise | 5.49 |
| Harry Kane | 8.99 |
Odds courtesy of Tonybet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
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The numbers behind Olise’s hype
Michael Olise stole the show in France’s Round of 32 comprehensive win over Sweden. He racked up two impressive assists, steering Didier Deschamps to a comfortable 3-0 victory and a place in the last 16.
This performance moved Olise on to five assists in four World Cup games. He’s currently leading the way in the tournament for assists and is the clear favourite to end the competition as top creator.
Five registered assists also happens to be the most assists by any player since the 1994 World Cup. From a French perspective, no player has matched this assist record since the 1966 World Cup. Only Brazilian legend Pele has surpassed his tally back in 1970.
Opta states that Olise has already been involved in 38 attacking sequences from open play. This underlines just how central he’s become to the French side in the final third.
Olise currently averages 3.2 shots and 2.2 chances created per game. He’s also a tireless worker. He’s averaged 50.5 sprints per game, the highest of any in Didier Deschamps’ squad.
FotMob’s player ratings also reflect how Olise’s influence on the French team is growing. His match rating against Senegal was 8.3, rising to 8.9 versus Iraq and 9.2 versus Sweden.
None of this is a surprise to those who watched him in action for Bayern in 2025/26. The 24-year-old enjoyed a stellar Bundesliga campaign. He ended the season with 34 goal contributions, scoring 15 and assisting 19 times. That form saw him deservedly win the Bundesliga Player of the Season award.
Olise’s settled role for Les Bleus is a major factor
France’s head coach, Deschamps, has Olise in a settled position on the right flank. The Bayern ace is adept at cutting inside onto his lethal left foot, where he’s clearly most dangerous.
It’s clear he is someone who thrives in possession. He’s constantly finding ways to get on the ball and engage with opposition full-backs.
It also helps that he has so many willing runners and clever forwards. Attacking teammates, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue are a fearsome quartet.
From a betting perspective, if Olise tops the assist charts at the tournament, the Golden Ball voting panel will have to take notice.
The Golden Ball rewards defining moments, not just numbers. Olise is supplying those too. Against Sweden, his audacious bicycle kick cannoned off the post. It nearly became the goal of the tournament.
Moments earlier he had set up Barcola with a nutmeg. Then he split the defence to play in Mbappé. His name trended worldwide afterwards. That kind of noise is exactly what sways a best-player vote.
France have only once before won their opening four World Cup games: their title-winning campaign on home soil in 1998.
They face Paraguay next, and the path looks kind. A deep French run lifts every French contender. If France reach the final, a French Golden Ball winner becomes highly likely, and Olise is the standout candidate.
At current odds, that blend of form, underlying numbers, highlight moments and momentum makes him a genuine value bet.