Praised by Thierry Henry, Michael Olise Nears Lionel Messi's Record

The grand aura of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is always synonymous with legends. Yet in Bayern Munich's victory over the hosts Real Madrid, the spotlight fell on one name carving his path into history: Michael Olise.

The French winger wasn't just impressive; he dictated the game during the first leg of the Champions League Quarter-Final. 

Throughout the match, Álvaro Carreras was rendered helpless against Olise's speed and agility, as he repeatedly broke through Madrid's left flank with ease.

But the major story behind this stellar performance wasn't just the win—it was about an assist record. 

Olise's assist for Harry Kane in that match was his 29th of the season. This achievement brings him ever closer to an elite record previously held only by greats like Lionel Messi.

Since moving to Germany, Olise has evolved into Bayern's creative engine. This season, he has become one of Europe's most influential players—not just through his dribbling, but also through his sharp vision and efficiency in creating chances.

French legend Thierry Henry didn't hesitate to give high praise to the former U-21 international.

“Michael is a special player,” Henry said on CBS. 

“He sees and thinks about the game differently, much like how he views life. When he has the ball, he sees things few other players can. He understands the game differently; he sees it more with his brain than his eyes. He doesn’t talk much off the pitch, but when he has the ball, he speaks volumes through his play.”

With 29 assists, Olise is now just four assists away from surpassing the single-season record of 32 assists, a tally shared by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Xavi Hernandez, and Lionel Messi. The latter also recorded 31 assists in one season.

Intriguingly, this pursuit remains wide open. Bayern still have six Bundesliga matches left and are progressing in both the UEFA Champions League and DFB-Pokal. This means Olise’s chance to surpass Messi and enter the history books is becoming increasingly tangible.

At 24, Olise stands at a crucial crossroads in his career. Alongside Lamine Yamal, he is hailed as one of the world's best wingers today.

If he maintains this form, the 2025/2026 season won't just be remembered for Bayern’s dominance, but also as the moment a new assist king was born. Michael Olise stands poised on the brink of eclipsing the giant shadow named Lionel Messi.