Michael Olise etched his name into World Cup history after becoming the player with the most assists in a single tournament since official records began in 1966.
The France playmaker produced two more assists during Saturday’s third-place playoff, setting up both of Kylian Mbappé’s goals despite France’s thrilling 6-4 loss to England.
Having entered the match with five assists, Olise finished the tournament with an unprecedented seven.
His achievement surpasses the long-standing mark of six assists set by Brazilian legend Pelé at the 1970 World Cup, a record that had remained untouched for 56 years.
Olise arrived at the tournament under intense scrutiny. Expectations were high as he was tasked with orchestrating one of international football’s most formidable attacking units, while speculation surrounding his club future continued to dominate headlines throughout the competition.
Real Madrid have remained strongly linked with the Bayern Munich star, with reports suggesting club president Florentino Pérez views the 24-year-old as a priority target and the next Galáctico capable of revitalising the Spanish giants after a disappointing campaign.
However, Bayern Munich have firmly rejected the speculation, insisting they have no intention of selling the French international.
Reports from both L’Équipe and BILD claim Olise has already informed his France teammates of his desire to move to the Santiago Bernabéu.
With Bayern determined to keep hold of their star man, Madrid may have to make one of the biggest offers in football history to secure his signature.
Any potential deal could even eclipse the world-record €222 million (£264 million at the time) transfer that took Neymar from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
Such figures are usually reserved for football’s elite, and Olise’s performances over the past season have strengthened his case as one of the game’s outstanding talents.
The attacking midfielder enjoyed a remarkable campaign for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, registering 22 goals and 31 assists in all competitions.
He then capped it off by providing seven assists at the World Cup, breaking a record that had stood for more than five decades.
Real Madrid are expected to renew their pursuit of Olise in the coming weeks, although his historic World Cup exploits may have driven his valuation even higher.
