Michael Olise's Hat-Trick and Neymar's Tribute After 7-0 Victory
Michael Olise walked out of the Allianz Arena with his arms full and his reputation soaring.
One souvenir was standard: the match ball, earned the old‑fashioned way with a ruthless hat-trick in a 7-0 demolition of Union. Another was inevitable: the player of the match award, after a performance that produced three goals and two assists and left no room for debate.
The third memento caught him off guard.
Waiting in the mixed zone was a Neymar shirt, personally dedicated to him. The Brazilian had asked journalist Isabela Pagliari to deliver it during her visit to Munich, a quiet gesture from one superstar to a player rapidly stepping into that bracket.
Olise has never hidden his admiration. He has named Neymar, alongside Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane, as one of his idols. Neymar’s peak came in the Barcelona years; at 34, he is winding down at his boyhood club Santos. Olise, 25 and in the form of his life, is heading in the opposite direction.
Numbers that belong to the elite
Right now, the Frenchman is putting up numbers that belong on awards shortlists, not just in club highlight reels.
Against Union, in only his seventh competitive appearance of the season, he was voted best player on the pitch for the fourth time already. Across those games, he has been involved in 11 goals – a contribution every 51 minutes. That is not a purple patch; that is dominance.
Those around him feel it every week.
Harry Kane, who knows a thing or two about elite attacking standards, did not hold back. “I really enjoy playing with Michael, and I also like him a lot as a person,” he said. “Not everyone gets to see his true personality, but he is a great character. He is completely different from how he appears to outsiders.”
Olise’s reluctance to step into the spotlight is well known. He is considered very media-shy, and after shredding Union he again declined a television interview with Sky. Jamal Musiala, close friend and partner in crime on the pitch, stepped in with a grin. “That’s what I’m here for,” he joked, happy to do the talking while Olise lets his football speak.
Ballon d’Or talk gathers pace
The performances are now dragging his name into the biggest individual conversation in the sport.
Max Eberl, the club’s board member for sport, did not bother to whisper it. He pushed Olise straight into the World Player of the Year 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 in an era stacked with heavyweight contenders. Kane himself is in that frame. So are Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Rodri, all widely regarded as frontrunners.
But nights like this one shift perceptions. A hat-trick, two assists, another man of the match award, and a shirt from Neymar waiting at the end of it all.
If this is just the start of Olise’s season, how loud will the Ballon d’Or noise be by the time the votes are cast?
