Why Michael Olise chose to play for France not England

We turned back the time for the reason

Originally born in Hammersmith, London, he came through the ranks of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City, before settling at Reading for two professional seasons. Featuring between 2019 and 2021 in Berkshire, Olise had yet to add goalscoring to his game as prolifically as perhaps now. He was onto bigger things though. In 67 matches, he scored 7 goals there. At Bayern, the French international has now scored 25 in 63 under the innovative Vincent Kompany and is playing the best football of his life so far.

With the World Cup on the horizon and Olise English-born, you may naturally hope for a split second whether he can represent the Three Lions. But the fact of the matter is that he chose his nation way-back-when, picking France U18s, in 2019, when he commenced on his professional pathway.

So being born in the capital city of England, why France? Well his reason roots back to a press-conference in September 2024, after Didier Deschamps called him up for his first senior appearance in the Nations League.

His mother is French, and when asked on his reasoning for picking Les Blues, his response was direct in Olise fashion: “I have always had a connection with the France national team, that is why I play for France.” 

Fast forward to present day, Olise has 15 caps and four national goals under his belt, with a World Cup undoubtedly on the horizon considering his stellar form. He will go right to the very top.