Michael Olise Shines with Hat-Trick and Neymar's Tribute
Michael Olise left the Allianz Arena with his arms full and his reputation soaring.
A hat-trick in a 7-0 demolition of Union Berlin guaranteed him the match ball. His two assists made the player-of-the-match award a formality. Bayern Munich’s right-sided magician didn’t just dominate the game; he bent it entirely to his will.
Then came the surprise.
As Olise moved through the mixed zone, still fresh from dismantling Union, a third prize appeared: a Neymar shirt, personally dedicated to him. Brazilian star Neymar had asked journalist Isabela Pagliari to deliver it during her visit to Munich, a quiet gesture from one idol to a player who grew up admiring him.
Olise has never hidden who shaped his football dreams. Neymar, alongside Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane, sits firmly on that list. Neymar’s peak years at Paris Saint-Germain helped define a generation of attacking play; now, at 34, he is winding down his career back at Santos FC. From Brazil to Bavaria, that influence is echoing in Olise’s performances.
A season catching fire
Right now, Olise is in full flight.
Union was only his seventh competitive match of the season. Yet it was already the fourth time he has been named best player on the pitch. His numbers are outrageous: 11 goal involvements so far, averaging one every 51 minutes. For a 25-year-old in his first full season at this level of expectation, that is elite territory.
Harry Kane, who thrives off Olise’s service, did not hold back.
"I really enjoy playing with Michael, and I also like him a lot as a person. Not everyone gets to see his true personality, but he is a great character. He is completely different from how he comes across to outsiders," Kane said.
Those outsiders mostly see the quiet, almost withdrawn figure who avoids the spotlight. Olise is famously media-shy. Even after a five-goal contribution in a 7-0 win, he turned down an interview with Sky. Jamal Musiala stepped in instead, grinning as he did so. "That is what I am here for," Musiala joked, happy to act as his friend’s public voice.
On the pitch, though, Olise speaks loudly enough.
From idolising stars to joining their company
His form is no longer just a talking point in Munich. It is starting to shape the global awards conversation.
Max Eberl, Bayern’s board member for sport, went straight to the top shelf when asked about Olise’s status in the game.
"For me, Michael Olise is also one of the candidates for the Ballon d'Or. He is one of the best players in the world," Eberl declared.
That is the level Bayern now believe he belongs to, mentioned in the same breath as established names. Alongside Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Rodri, Olise is being discussed as one of the outstanding performers on the planet.
From the stands, it looked like a perfect night: three goals, two assists, a standing ovation, and a shirt from Neymar himself. For a player who once watched his idols from afar, the question now is no longer who he looks up to.
It is how far he can climb among them.
