Olise tops World Cup assists chart as Ballon d'Or buzz grows
Michael Olise leads the 2026 FIFA World Cup assist chart with five assists after France's 3-0 Round of 32 win over Sweden, and his form has reignited serious Ballon d'Or talk. Former France and Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol says Olise is "the best in the world," while Thierry Henry argues he is Les Bleus' most important player — not Kylian Mbappe.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Olise tops the 2026 World Cup assist chart with five in four matches after two against Sweden.
- France beat Sweden 3-0 to reach the Round of 16 and will face Paraguay next.
- Ex-Bayern star Willy Sagnol says Olise should win the Ballon d'Or or "something is seriously wrong with football."
- Thierry Henry calls Olise France's most important player, praising his off-ball work and ball recovery.
- Mbappe scored twice against Sweden and has six World Cup goals this summer, level with Lionel Messi.
How did Michael Olise top the World Cup assist chart?
France beat Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32 to reach the last 16. Kylian Mbappe scored both of his goals with Olise supplying the final pass, while the Bayern Munich playmaker also assisted Bradley Barcola's strike after halftime.
Those two helpers took Olise to five assists across four World Cup games — the most by any player at the 2026 tournament. BBC Sport highlighted his climb to the top of the assist standings as France advanced.
Why is the Ballon d'Or debate heating up around Olise?
Olise has emerged as France's standout performer at the 2026 World Cup, and former stars are now framing him as a genuine individual-award contender. Speaking to BILD, Willy Sagnol did not hold back: "Olise is the best in the world, far ahead of all other players. If he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or at the end of the year, something is seriously wrong with football."
Sagnol compared Olise's selfless, team-first style to Zinedine Zidane and contrasted it with more stat-driven modern stars. He even suggested former professionals identify with Olise more than any other current player, calling him the clear number one in the global hierarchy.
Did Thierry Henry really rank Olise above Mbappe?
Henry drew a sharp distinction between France's MVP and its most indispensable player. Mbappe has six goals at this World Cup and pulled level with Lionel Messi on the scoring chart, yet Henry told Fox Sports that "MVP will always be Kylian, because he will put numbers no one can do, but the most important player is Michael Olise."
The 1998 World Cup winner praised Olise's vision — "Michael is a freak, the way he sees stuff is just not the same" — and stressed defensive contributions, noting Olise recovered the most balls for France. Henry also said Didier Deschamps has found better balance with Olise at No. 10 and Ousmane Dembele on the right.
What happens next for France and Olise?
France move on to face Paraguay in the Round of 16 with momentum behind a front line that includes Mbappe, Olise, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembele. For more on how World Cup form is reshaping football's celebrity headlines, follow our Celebrity Breaking News coverage.
If Olise keeps creating at this rate, the assist chart leader may not just carry France deep into the tournament — he could force a full rethink of who deserves football's biggest individual prize this year.