Lewandowski praises Michael Olise’s influence at Bayern

Robert Lewandowski has praised Michael Olise’s qualities at Bayern Munich, highlighting his influence at decisive moments. The former Bayern striker, now playing for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer, discussed the French international in an interview with The Athletic. He believes Olise deserves recognition for his quality too, while supporting Lamine Yamal’s ambitions for individual honours.

“Olise, for me, is like: ‘Wow.’ He’s a game-changer. I’m impressed by the kind of player he is. He has a huge future,” Lewandowski said. He singled out the winger’s judgement: when to shoot, when to find a teammate and what kind of pass to play. “His decisions are perfect. He knows when to shoot to score, when to pass and what ball to play,” he said.

Lewandowski also discussed the connection between Olise, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz. He believes the pair's contrasting strengths make Bayern's frontline formidable. He praised Kane, saying he arrived at Bayern in his prime, and pointed to the number of goals he is scoring. The former striker believes the club had missed a forward of that calibre after he left. The partnership between Kane, Olise and Díaz, he said, is “a perfect match”.

The interview also touched on Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona youngster whose performances have attracted attention. Lewandowski said he enjoys watching him, but sometimes tries to focus on players who are not yet the subject of as much discussion. He suggested Olise could have been a Ballon d’Or favourite, alongside Yamal or Kane, if he had scored one or two goals at the World Cup. He also said he hoped Yamal would win the award, while describing the contest as more open than before: as many as ten players could, in his view, make a case for it.

Since joining from Crystal Palace in 2024, Olise has established himself among Bayern’s most productive attacking players. His creativity, close control and influence in decisive moments add to his goals and assists. Lewandowski, who scored prolifically during his own spell at Bayern, focused on a quality that is harder to measure: Olise’s ability to make the right decision at the right time.