Michael Olise's Hat-trick and Neymar's Shirt – A Night to Remember
Michael Olise walked out of the Allianz Arena with his arms full and his reputation soaring.
A hat-trick, two assists and a 7-0 Bayern Munich demolition of Union Berlin would have been more than enough for most nights. For Olise, it was only the start.
Hat-trick, two assists – and a shirt from Neymar
The basics were routine by football’s standards. Three goals, so he claimed the match ball. A performance that outshone everyone else on the pitch, so the player of the match award was never in question.
Then came the twist.
As the 25-year-old made his way through the mixed zone, a third prize appeared: a Neymar shirt, personally dedicated. Brazilian star Neymar had asked journalist Isabela Pagliari to deliver it to Olise during her visit to the Allianz Arena.
It was no random gesture. Olise has previously named Neymar, alongside Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane, as one of his idols. Neymar, who enjoyed his peak years at Paris Saint-Germain and is now winding down his career at hometown club Santos FC, had clearly taken notice of the Bayern winger’s rise.
On this evidence, it is hard to miss.
One goal involvement every 51 minutes
Olise is in full flight. The Union game was only his seventh competitive appearance of the season, yet it was already the fourth time he had been named best player on the pitch.
His numbers are brutal: 11 goal involvements so far, averaging one every 51 minutes. That is the output of a player operating at the very top of his game, in a team built to score heavily and dominate.
Harry Kane, who benefits directly from Olise’s creativity, did not hold back.
"I really enjoy playing with Michael, and I also like him a lot as a person. Not everyone gets to see his true personality, but he is a great character. He is completely different from how he comes across to outsiders," said the England captain.
Olise’s shyness around the media is well known at Bayern. After his masterclass against Union, he turned down an interview with Sky. Jamal Musiala stepped in instead, smiling as he did so.
"That is what I am here for," Musiala joked, happy to take the microphone while his friend slipped quietly away with his trophies.
Ballon d'Or talk gathers pace
The noise around Olise is growing, even if he is not the one making it.
Max Eberl, Bayern’s board member for sport, went a step further and pushed his winger into the game’s biggest individual debate.
"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," Eberl declared.
It is a bold statement, but it lands in a conversation already populated by heavyweights. Alongside Olise, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Rodri are all being talked about as leading contenders.
On nights like this, with a hat-trick in his bag, a match ball under his arm and a signed Neymar shirt pressed to his chest, Olise looks right at home in that company.
