France midfielder Michael Olise set a new World Cup record for assists during the 2026 tournament despite his side’s 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place play-off.
The Bayern Munich player provided two assists in Saturday’s match, taking his tally for the competition to seven and surpassing the previous record of six established by the late Brazilian football great Pelé at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
Although France finished the tournament with a loss and fourth place overall, Olise’s individual achievement ensured he entered the World Cup record books with the highest number of assists ever recorded in a single edition of the competition.
The milestone came after the attacking midfielder created two goals against England in the play-off, moving beyond a record that had stood since the 1970 tournament.
Pelé had registered six assists during Brazil’s victorious World Cup campaign in Mexico, a mark that remained unmatched until Olise’s performance in France’s final game of the 2026 competition.
The new record also highlighted Olise’s influence throughout France’s World Cup campaign, with his creativity proving one of the team’s most significant attacking weapons.
Of the seven assists he produced during the tournament, five were converted by teammate Kylian Mbappé. That combination established another World Cup record, representing the highest number of assists from one player to the same teammate in a single tournament.
The statistic underlined the understanding between the two attacking players as France progressed through the competition.
While Olise consistently created goals for his teammates, he did not find the net himself during the tournament. Despite failing to score, his contribution in setting up goals played a prominent role in France’s attacking performances.
His record-breaking display came in France’s final fixture of the World Cup, ensuring his tournament concluded with a significant personal milestone even as the team fell short in its bid to secure third place.
France ultimately suffered a 6-4 defeat to England in the play-off, bringing their campaign to an end in fourth position. However, the result did little to overshadow Olise’s achievement, which saw him eclipse one of the World Cup’s longest-standing statistical records.
Breaking a mark set by Pelé, one of football’s most celebrated figures, represents a notable accomplishment for the Bayern Munich midfielder, whose vision and passing were central to France’s attacking play throughout the tournament.
His seven assists established a new benchmark for future World Cups, replacing the previous total of six that had endured since 1970.
Although France’s campaign ended in disappointment, Olise’s creative output provided one of the tournament’s standout individual performances. His ability to create chances, particularly for Mbappé, culminated in a record-setting World Cup campaign that will be remembered for rewriting football history, even without adding a goal of his own.
Source: african.football
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