Michael Olise picked up two souvenirs from this 7-0 gala. Tradition meant he took home the match ball for his hat-trick. The player of the match award was never really in doubt either, with Olise finishing with three goals and two assists.
Then a slightly surprising third keepsake was waiting for the 25-year-old Frenchman in the mixed zone: a Neymar shirt with a personal dedication. The Brazilian superstar had asked journalist Isabela Pagliari to hand it over to Olise during her visit to the Allianz Arena.
Olise had previously named Neymar, alongside Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane, as one of his idols. Neymar enjoyed the best spell of his career at Barcelona. The 34-year-old is now seeing out his career at hometown club Santos.
Michael Olise is producing outstanding numbers this season
Right now, Olise is in outstanding form. Against Union, in his seventh competitive game of the season, he was named the best player on the pitch for the fourth time already. Overall, he has 11 goal involvements, one every 51 minutes.
Harry Kane was full of praise. "I really enjoy playing with Michael, and I also like him a lot as a person," he said. "Not everyone gets to see his true personality, but he is a great character. He is completely different from how he appears to outsiders." Olise is considered very media-shy. After his gala against Union, he turned down an interview with Sky. "That’s what I’m here for," said his stand-in and pal Jamal Musiala with a smile.
Meanwhile, board member for sport Max Eberl made the case for Olise to be considered in the World Player of the Year vote. "For me, Michael Olise is also one of the candidates for the Ballon d’Or. He is one of the best players in the world," said Eberl. Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Rodri are also considered favourites.