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Oh, what might have been.
Harry Kane up top, a cluster of options on the left, Jude Bellingham in the hole and Michael Olise on the right.
Sounds incredible doesn’t it England fans?
Sadly for the Three Lions, the London-born winger opted for France ahead of his other three options of England, Algeria and Nigeria.
It may feel like a missed opportunity for England and that’s despite an embarrassment of riches in attacking areas and one that has afforded boss Thomas Tuchel the luxury of leaving Cole Palmer and Phil Foden out of his World Cup squad this summer.
That’s because the 24-year-old spent his early football education in English football before breaking into Reading’s first team.
An ÂŁ8million move to Crystal Palace materialised in July 2021 allowing his brilliance to shine on the grandest stage before Bayern Munich snapped him up in 2024 in a ÂŁ51m deal.
At international level, Olise was quick to commit his allegiance to Les Bleus.
In June 2019 he made his debut for France’s Under-18 squad for the Toulon Tournament.
Three years later, Olise was called up to the U21 side for the first time and made his debut in the 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands.
In 2024, he was named in Thierry Henry’s squad for the Paris Olympic games in 2024 and netted in his country’s opener against the United States.
He ended the tournament with two goals and five assists as France finished the games with a silver medal.
Unsurprisingly, he was called up to Didier Deschamps’ senior side in 2024 and has quickly cemented his place in arguably world football’s most stacked squad.
But his decision to represent France was far from a pressurised one and not a case of first come first served.
Rather, it was a decision based on the wingers preference and one he has made up his mind about long before his rise to superstardom.
Why did Olise choose to play for France?
Olise is the son of a French-Algerian mother and a Nigerian father meaning his options were always likely to be varied.
Olise has always been clear about his French leaning and when asked why he opted for the two-time world champions, he said: “I have always had a connection with the France national team, that is why I play for France.”
In December 2024, he told FCBayern.com: “Nationality says where you come from, and I actually come from four countries: France, Algeria, Nigeria and Great Britain.
“I consider myself very lucky to possess these four parts, which all enrich me.
“I feel each individual part in me. I’ve developed attachments in all my countries.
“When I was growing up in London we regularly visited Algeria, Nigeria and France.”
Language barrier
English is very much Olise’s mother tongue but he is working hard to perfect his French.
Olise can converse in the French language and conduct basic interviews but there is still room for growth.
He said: “My dad always spoke English with me at home, my mum French – and I always answered both in English. I feel very comfortable with French too.”
Olise came under fire for his perceived poor grasp of the French language shortly after his arrival in the senior squad.
But criticism has since dwindled thanks mainly to his superb displays for Les Bleus.
Heading into the World Cup, Olise has quickly become the player France is pinning its hopes on following his excellent campaign at Bayern Munich.
And he did his best to further endear himself to the French public on Monday night by netting his first international hattrick in the 3-1 friendly win over Northern Ireland.
It’s not easy upstaging a side boasting Kylian Mbappe and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, but Olise might just do that this summer.
Oh, what might have been.
Harry Kane up top, a cluster of options on the left, Jude Bellingham in the hole and Michael Olise on the right.
Sounds incredible doesn’t it England fans?
Sadly for the Three Lions, the London-born winger opted for France ahead of his other three options of England, Algeria and Nigeria.
It may feel like a missed opportunity for England and that’s despite an embarrassment of riches in attacking areas and one that has afforded boss Thomas Tuchel the luxury of leaving Cole Palmer and Phil Foden out of his World Cup squad this summer.
That’s because the 24-year-old spent his early football education in English football before breaking into Reading’s first team.
An ÂŁ8million move to Crystal Palace materialised in July 2021 allowing his brilliance to shine on the grandest stage before Bayern Munich snapped him up in 2024 in a ÂŁ51m deal.
At international level, Olise was quick to commit his allegiance to Les Bleus.
In June 2019 he made his debut for France’s Under-18 squad for the Toulon Tournament.
Three years later, Olise was called up to the U21 side for the first time and made his debut in the 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands.
In 2024, he was named in Thierry Henry’s squad for the Paris Olympic games in 2024 and netted in his country’s opener against the United States.
He ended the tournament with two goals and five assists as France finished the games with a silver medal.
Unsurprisingly, he was called up to Didier Deschamps’ senior side in 2024 and has quickly cemented his place in arguably world football’s most stacked squad.
But his decision to represent France was far from a pressurised one and not a case of first come first served.
Rather, it was a decision based on the wingers preference and one he has made up his mind about long before his rise to superstardom.
Why did Olise choose to play for France?
Olise is the son of a French-Algerian mother and a Nigerian father meaning his options were always likely to be varied.
Olise has always been clear about his French leaning and when asked why he opted for the two-time world champions, he said: “I have always had a connection with the France national team, that is why I play for France.”
In December 2024, he told FCBayern.com: “Nationality says where you come from, and I actually come from four countries: France, Algeria, Nigeria and Great Britain.
“I consider myself very lucky to possess these four parts, which all enrich me.
“I feel each individual part in me. I’ve developed attachments in all my countries.
“When I was growing up in London we regularly visited Algeria, Nigeria and France.”
Language barrier
English is very much Olise’s mother tongue but he is working hard to perfect his French.
Olise can converse in the French language and conduct basic interviews but there is still room for growth.
He said: “My dad always spoke English with me at home, my mum French – and I always answered both in English. I feel very comfortable with French too.”
Olise came under fire for his perceived poor grasp of the French language shortly after his arrival in the senior squad.
But criticism has since dwindled thanks mainly to his superb displays for Les Bleus.
Heading into the World Cup, Olise has quickly become the player France is pinning its hopes on following his excellent campaign at Bayern Munich.
And he did his best to further endear himself to the French public on Monday night by netting his first international hattrick in the 3-1 friendly win over Northern Ireland.
It’s not easy upstaging a side boasting Kylian Mbappe and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, but Olise might just do that this summer.
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| đź“° PublicaciĂłn: | talksport.com |
| ✍️ Autor: | Lee Davey |
| đź“… Fecha Original: | 2026-06-10 09:25:00 |
| đź”— Enlace: | Ver artĂculo original |
Nota de transparencia: Este artĂculo ha sido traducido y adaptado del inglĂ©s al español para facilitar su comprensiĂłn. El contenido se mantiene fiel a la fuente original, disponible en el enlace proporcionado arriba.
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