Olise hat-trick sharpens France’s World Cup attacking debate

Michael Olise was the standout performer in France’s final World Cup warm-up, scoring his first international hat-trick against Northern Ireland in Lille. The Bayern Munich winger now has seven goals in 12 France appearances.

The display has added weight to the argument that Olise could become more than a supporting option for Didier Deschamps. Louis Saha framed the next step around consistency and mentality, suggesting that sustained performances of this level are what bring players into Ballon d’Or conversations.

Deschamps also underlined Olise’s growing importance, pointing to his development since his 2024 debut and his contribution without the ball as well as in attack. France’s depth remains striking, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki and Warren Zaire-Emery all part of a crowded attacking picture.

Mbappe’s own evening was less productive as he remained short of Olivier Giroud’s France scoring record, but Deschamps played down any concern. With Senegal, Iraq and Norway ahead in Group I, the bigger question may be how France balance star power with the form of a player who has timed his rise well.