Michael Olise 'proud' of setting World Cup record but France hero left emotional after 'huge disappointment' against Spain and England

France entered the 2026 World Cup as one of the tournament favourites, but Les Bleus ultimately had to settle for a fourth-place finish following crucial defeats to Spain and England. Bayern winger Olise shone on the world stage by providing seven assists, the highest tally ever recorded in a single World Cup edition. However, that historic individual milestone did little to ease his disappointment at failing to bring home the trophy.

Taking to his personal Instagram account, the 24-year-old expressed his mixed emotions after seeing his World Cup dream fall short in the closing stages: "Not being able to take the trophy home is a huge disappointment. This is not how we had imagined the end of this World Cup at the beginning of the tournament.

"Wearing the French national team jersey at a World Cup has always been a dream come true for me – and it always will be. Even though we couldn't win the trophy, I'm proud to have set the record for the most assists in the history of a World Cup.

"Above all, I would much rather be here to say that we won the World Cup together – with my teammates, the staff, the coaches and all the fans of the French national team."

Alongside expressing his heartbreak, Olise paid a heartfelt tribute to former national coach Didier Deschamps for putting faith in him on the international stage, while reaffirming his commitment to bringing future glory to Les Bleus: "I would also like to thank the national coach for first including me in the squad and for believing in me even in the most difficult moments. I will always be grateful to you and wish you all the best, whatever path you choose next.

"This remains the goal that will continue to drive us, and we hope that we can give you many more moments of joy and unforgettable memories in the future that you can share with us."

Olise has now closed the book on his World Cup campaign and turned his attention to an extended summer break before reporting back to Bayern. The attacking midfielder is scheduled to rejoin his club side in the coming weeks to begin pre-season preparations. Manager Vincent Kompany is certain to rely on the Frenchman as a cornerstone of Bayern's attack as they gear up for the new campaign.