ไทย
English
中國人
Kylian Mbappé heaped praise on France teammate Michael Olise, as speculation over a potential Real Madrid move continues to swirl.
Both players impressed during France's commanding 3–0 victory against Iraq in 2026 World Cup qualifying on Monday, with Mbappé netting twice—one of those goals assisted by Olise.
The convincing result against Iraq comes on the back of an opening 3–1 triumph over Senegal, in which the duo also combined, with Olise delivering what may be the standout pass of the competition so far to tee up Mbappé for the opener.
Across two matches, Mbappé has scored four goals while Olise has racked up three assists.
Mbappé Praises Real Madrid Target Olise
Reflecting on the victory over Iraq, Mbappé was eager to sing his teammate's praises.
"It's so easy to play with Michael Olise. He makes everything simpler, always playing with his head up," he told the media. "He always picks up on my runs. I really love playing alongside Michael."
The remarkable chemistry between the two stars bodes well for France's prospects of making a deep run in the tournament, with the pair emerging as Didier Deschamps's key weapons going forward. Plenty of Real Madrid supporters will also be dreaming of witnessing that same combination at the Bernabéu come next season.
Olise had been linked with a move to Madrid earlier this month, after club president Florentino Pérez hinted at the possibility of a €150 million ($175 million) bid for a new "Galáctico" during his re-election campaign.
Although the player in question was never named, multiple outlets suggested Olise was Pérez's target—an assertion the president himself publicly dismissed.
Madrid's Olise Statement
The speculation grew to such a degree that Real Madrid released an official statement asserting the club had made no effort whatsoever to pursue Olise.
"In response to reports in various media outlets regarding an alleged interest from our club in Bayern Munich player Michael Olise, Real Madrid CF wishes to state that it has not had any direct or indirect contact with the aforementioned player, his representatives, or anyone in his entourage," the statement read.
"Real Madrid also wishes to highlight the excellent institutional relationship it maintains with Bayern Munich, with whom it shares a long history of mutual respect, collaboration and admiration, and regrets the spread of speculation that does not correspond to reality.
"Both clubs have always maintained a relationship based on trust and mutual respect, which is reflected, among other aspects, in the shared conviction that any potential interest in a player belonging to the other club must be dealt with first between the entities themselves, in accordance with the principles of institutional loyalty that have historically governed the relations between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid."
While there is little reason to question the sincerity of Madrid's statement, it ultimately only confirms they have not pursued a deal for Olise yet—with no indication of what their intentions may be going forward.
Mbappé Comments Keep Fire Burning
Securing a transfer for Olise—who is contracted through 2029—would be a complex undertaking for any club, yet when Real Madrid fix their sights on a target, they tend to get their man.
New head coach José Mourinho's focus this summer may be directed toward shoring up the backline, but supporters are unlikely to feel that Pérez's campaign pledge of a €150 million signing was truly honored by a calculated bid for Atletico Madrid's Julián Alvarez.
To recall Pérez's words during the election campaign when pressed on whether the club could bring in more attacking talent this summer: "in Madrid, you always need more."
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
Real Madrid have long been known for using the World Cup as a scouting showcase, frequently snapping up the tournament's breakout performers. Mbappé's latest remarks keep the rumor mill spinning and, whether calculated or not, the forward is shrewd enough to understand the impact his words carry.
As the club's most influential player, his comments could be interpreted as a signal of his own wishes to Pérez, as well as a subtle effort to charm Olise as part of the early groundwork for what could easily evolve into a drawn-out summer transfer saga.