Michael Olise absolutely shattered Pelé’s World Cup assist record, dishing out seven dimes for France in the 2026 tournament. That’s insane. Pelé, the Brazilian legend himself, held that record for over 50 years with six assists in six games during the 1970 World Cup. Olise didn’t just tie it, he blew right past it.
Seven Assists, A Historic Mark, and What Could Have Been
Olise’s record-breaking seventh assist came in France’s wild 6-4 loss to England in the third-place game. This wasn’t just any assist either; he set up Kylian Mbappé for his 22nd World Cup goal, a score that broke Lionel Messi’s all-time record from earlier in the tournament. Olise came into that match with five assists, then added two more, both to Mbappé. The assist that tied Pelé’s mark hit in the 48th minute, a moment when France was trying to claw back from a brutal 4-0 halftime deficit. Think about that: a historic individual achievement happening while the team is staring down a massive hole.
While Olise played one more game than Pelé in this expanded 48-team World Cup, he still averaged an assist per game. The dude was a machine, a key part of France’s fearsome forward line alongside Mbappé and Ousmane Dembele. He was one of the best attackers in the entire tournament, period.
The Agony of What Could Have Been
Here’s the rub, though. Despite the record-setting assists and incredible attacking play, Olise has got to be reeling from that England game. He missed numerous chances on goal as France desperately tried to pull off one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history. Nobody has ever overcome a 4-0 deficit at the World Cup, and while France, with Olise at the front, had so many opportunities to tie it up, shots kept going wide. Their midfield and defense were ultimately the Achilles’ heel, leading to a 2-0 semifinal loss against Spain and that disjointed first half against England. That 4-0 hole was just too deep. So yeah, Olise broke a legendary record, but you know that loss has got to sting deep, making you wonder what might have been for the entire French squad.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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