Michael Olise has all the ability to win the Ballon d’Or, and he can definitely win the award in 2026 whilst at Bayern Munich.
Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, as reported on BBC Sport, after a fantastic campaign with PSG, as he won Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Now, there’s not a doubt in our minds that Olise can follow in Dembele’s footsteps in 2026.
The winger, who can also play as an attacking midfielder, managed 35 goal contributions in 51 appearances in his first season at Bayern in all competitions, with 12 goals and 15 assists coming in 34 Bundesliga appearances.
Michael Olise impresses for Bayern and France
This fantastic season saw Olise become an ever-present option in the France squad and has featured 10 times, scoring three goals and starting in four of his last six appearances for Les Bleus.
This last season of football saw him nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, but many have been shocked to see him place 30th out of 30 nominees.
After such a good year, it was surprising to see him not place higher in this list, but this is sure to fuel him over the course of the 2025/26 campaign, and he could win the Ballon d’Or himself in 2026.
With Olise already being nominated for the award, he should feel comfortable that if he performs at the same level this season, then he should at least make the top 30, but there are a couple of small achievements and targets he needs to meet to give him the perfect opportunity to win the award.
Bayern Munich consistently win the Bundesliga, but just performing to a world-class level in your club’s division and winning the title is proven not to be enough. This was emphasised by Liverpool’s Mo Salah winning the Premier League last season. He managed to score 29 goals and pick up 18 assists in 38 appearances, but only finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or.
It feels like winning the Champions League is now key to winning the Ballon d’Or, with three of the last four Ballon d’Or winners lifting the Champions League trophy in the year they won the Ballon d’Or award.
Bayern are one of the favourites to lift the Champions League trophy this season. If they were to win it, then Olise would be key, just like he was when they won the Bundesliga last season.
One minor factor in winning the Champions League would be the fact that Olise would have to outshine teammate Harry Kane. The Englishman has already started well this season in Europe. Kane has scored two goals in the Champions League after the first set of fixtures.
Olise could showcase himself at the World Cup
One factor that could massively play into Olise’s favour is the World Cup. 2026 is a World Cup year, and the stars and winners of this tournament will be heavily involved in the running for the Ballon d’Or.
A perfect example of why a World Cup win would be crucial is Lionel Messi. He was named the best player in 2023 after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, and he did not win the Champions League in the same season.
If Olise can be key in winning the Champions League for Bayern or the World Cup with France in 2026, then he can definitely win the Ballon d’Or.
He has become a fan favourite at Bayern, and fans will be hoping he continues his fantastic form and helps lead the German club to more European trophies, whilst winning the best personal accolades along the way.
The downside to international success
We’re already aware of the fact that Real Madrid are interested in Olise. Don’t forget either that Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester City are also said to be keeping a close eye on the Frenchman’s situation.
If the winger adds a top-notch World Cup campaign under his belt, it’s only going to see interest in his services skyrocket during the summer transfer window.
It may very well help tip the scales in Michael Olise’s favour when it comes to winning the next Ballon d’Or, of course. Albeit at the cost of Bayern losing another world-class player.
