Michael Olise's Hat-trick and Neymar's Gesture
By the time the final whistle went on Bayern Munich’s 7-0 demolition of Union Berlin, Michael Olise already knew he was taking two things home. The match ball, earned the old-fashioned way with a ruthless hat-trick. And the player of the match award, which felt decided long before the end.
Then came the third surprise.
As Olise made his way through the mixed zone at the Allianz Arena, a shirt was waiting for him. Not a Bayern top, not a swapped jersey from a beaten opponent, but a Neymar shirt, personally dedicated to him. The Brazilian had asked journalist Isabela Pagliari to deliver it during her visit to Munich.
It was no random gesture. Olise has spoken before about his football idols: Neymar, Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane. Neymar, now 34 and winding down his career back at his boyhood club Santos FC, clearly heard the admiration – and answered in his own way.
On this evidence, the compliment went to a player in full flight.
A Season Catching Fire
Against Union, Olise didn’t just score three. He ran the game. Three goals, two assists, constant threat. It was his seventh competitive match of the season and the fourth time he has been named the best player on the pitch.
The numbers are starting to look absurd. Eleven goal involvements already, averaging one every 51 minutes. That’s title-winning output, delivered with the calm of someone who looks like he’s only just getting started.
Harry Kane, who benefits directly from Olise’s creativity, didn’t hide his admiration.
"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," Kane said.
Those “outsiders” mostly see the quiet, reserved winger who avoids the spotlight. Even after a five-goal contribution in a 7-0 rout, Olise declined an interview with Sky. Jamal Musiala stepped in for him, smiling as he did so.
"That is what I am here for," Musiala joked, covering media duties for his friend while Olise slipped back into the background.
On the pitch, though, there is nowhere to hide.
From Idol to Peers?
Inside Bayern, the conversation around Olise has already moved beyond simple praise.
Board member for sport Max Eberl went straight to the top shelf when asked about the Frenchman’s level. "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 said.
It is a bold statement, but he placed Olise in heavyweight company. Alongside Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Rodri, the Bayern winger is now being mentioned in the same breath as the game’s defining names.
For a player who grew up idolising Neymar, Messi and Zidane, the arc is striking. One of his heroes has already reached out with a signed shirt and a message. The next step is clear: to turn those childhood idols into direct rivals for the biggest individual prizes.
On nights like this, with a hat-trick in his pocket, a match ball under his arm and Neymar’s shirt over his shoulder, that leap doesn’t feel so far away.
