Why ex-Palace winger Olise is now in Ballon d’Or contention at Bayern

A left-footed winger cutting in from the right flank? It just feels natural at Bayern Munich.

It was an Arjen Robben trademark – now it’s Michael Olise’s.

Bayern go into the second leg of their last-16 tie with Atalanta in the Champions League on Wednesday holding a 6-1 advantage.

That’s thanks to a dazzling performance from the 24-year-old in the first leg, when he scored twice and laid on an assist.

The display was in keeping with Olise’s remarkable form since he joined from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2024 – no one in Europe’s top five leagues has more than his 23 assists in all competitions this season, no winger can top his 38 goal involvements.

It’s no wonder he’s now being talked about as one of the best players on the planet.

“It’s nice to hear but there’s half of the season still to play, so I’m focused on the team and on team titles now,” said the typically relaxed Frenchman on a potential Ballon d’Or after his masterclass in Bergamo.

He may have a laid-back attitude and a languid playing style, but behind the calm exterior there is a steely determination.

“I don’t want to compare the players because they’re not the same but [he has] the mentality of [former Manchester City player] Kevin de Bruyne when I played with him,” said Bayern boss Vincent Kompany after the Atalanta game.

Fans of English football who watched Olise at Palace knew he was good. But this good?

After being linked with a number of Premier League clubs before he eventually joined Bayern, there will be plenty who regret missing out on the former Eagles star.

“He’s matured a lot,” European football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Sport of Olise. “He’s made his debut for France, playing at the Olympics was also a massive help.

“To move away from London and to go to a completely different culture almost helped him grow up as a kid. He was a bit of a late bloomer, let’s not forget. It’s not been a traditional path to the top for him through Reading and then Crystal Palace.”

“Kompany is the perfect coach for him. All the rotation and all the movement, when you are a creative player like Olise it must be amazing to play in. That’s why he’s flourishing so much at Bayern.”

In his debut campaign in Germany he netted 17 goals and laid on 21 assists for his team-mates in all competitions. Already this season he has 15 goals and 23 assists, making him one of the most productive attacking players in European football.

In terms of players in a similar position, Olise is out on his own at the moment.

Since the start of last season, Olise has 44 assists in all competitions – seven more than any other player from Europe’s top five leagues – and in the same time period only Bruno Fernandes has created more chances than the Bayern star.

When you look at the portion of the pitch those goals and assists have come from, the Robben comparisons make sense too. Last Tuesday, Olise darted infield from the right flank past a couple of players and curled a left-footed shot into the corner.

The season could end in glorious style for Bayern and Olise, with a treble still up for grabs. Then comes the World Cup, where the winger is set to be part of a stacked France squad.

In Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Rayan Cherki, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola, manager Didier Deschamps has a plethora of attacking talent to call upon. So is Olise even guaranteed a place in the XI?

“Deschamps intends to play him as a number 10 during the World Cup,” Laurens told BBC Sport, a position that is vacant following the international retirement of France legend Antoine Griezmann.

“I’m not too convinced with that in some ways. Why do you want to move him from that position where he feels comfortable and has all his bearings as one of the best players in the world?

“I’m sure Olise will do really well as a number 10 at the World Cup. But I just question why you would want to change him.”

Crucially, Lionel Messi and Dembele added to those impressive stats with major silverware. The former was instrumental in Argentina’s World Cup win in 2022, while the latter was the driving force behind PSG’s first Champions League title.

Olise doesn’t have a Champions League title or a standout international tournament performance yet.