Olise's Record Assists
Michael Olise Breaks Pelé's World Cup Assists Record Amid France's Loss
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Key Points
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Mbappé became the all-time FIFA World Cup top scorer with 22 goals during this tournament, surpassing Lionel Messi.
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The third-place playoff between France and England finished 6-4, setting the record as the highest-scoring third-place match in modern World Cup history.
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Opta notes that five of Olise’s seven World Cup assists came to Mbappé, underscoring a standout right-flank connection and making the five-to-one pairing a World Cup milestone since data tracking began in 1966.
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Dean Henderson produced a string of crucial saves in the first half, helping England deny France an early, larger lead and keeping the score closer for a comeback.
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Didier Deschamps’ 14-year tenure as France manager ended with a disappointing bronze-medal finish, capping a dramatic campaign with a loss after a valiant fightback.
Michael Olise rewrote World Cup history on Saturday, setting a new record for assists in a single tournament with seven — surpassing Pelé's previous mark of six USA Today. The Bayern Munich winger reached the milestone during France's third-place match against England, setting up two Kylian Mbappé goals even as France fell 6-4 in the highest-scoring third-place match in modern World Cup history AOL.
The result was a gut-punch for France. They trailed 4-0 at halftime before staging a dramatic fightback that fell just short. It also marked the end of Didier Deschamps' 14-year run as France manager — closing with a bronze-medal defeat rather than the send-off he deserved Bavarian Football Works.
Olise Surpasses Pelé With Seven Tournament Assists
Olise finished the 2026 World Cup with seven assists — one more than Pelé's long-standing record of six USA Today. Five of those seven assists went directly to Mbappé, according to Bavarian Football Works. Opta notes that the Olise-to-Mbappé connection is a World Cup milestone for a single pairing since data tracking began in 1966.
The 24-year-old is eligible to play for both Germany and France due to his dual heritage, and he chose Les Bleus. His tournament performance was no fluke. At Bayern Munich in the 2025-26 season, Olise recorded 15 goals and 19 assists Yahoo Sports. He brought that same creativity onto the world stage and delivered it when it mattered most.
Mbappé Becomes World Cup's All-Time Top Scorer
Mbappé's two goals in the third-place match pushed his all-time World Cup total to 22 — breaking Lionel Messi's record and making him the tournament's greatest scorer in history CA Yahoo Sports. He was the tournament's standout attacker, and Olise was the engine behind much of it.
The right-flank connection between the two was described as telepathic Bavarian Football Works. Olise would find space wide, slip balls into Mbappé's runs, and the striker would finish. Five assists from one player to one teammate in a single World Cup had never been recorded before in the data era.
England's 4-0 Halftime Lead Seals Dramatic Win
England raced to a stunning 4-0 lead by halftime. Dean Henderson made a string of crucial saves early on, preventing France from getting back into the match before the break AOL. France's deficit looked insurmountable, and for 45 minutes, it was.
But France came roaring back in the second half, scoring four goals to make it 4-4 before England pulled away to win 6-4. It was a wild match, and one that ended Deschamps' long reign on a bitter note. Despite the loss, Olise's two assists in the match pushed him past Pelé's record and into the history books USA Today.
Olise's Record Stands, but Messi Still Leads All-Time
While Olise now holds the record for assists in a single World Cup edition, he remains behind Lionel Messi on the all-time World Cup assists list CA Yahoo Sports. Messi's career total across multiple tournaments still puts him ahead in the overall rankings.
Olise is just 24 years old. He has multiple World Cups ahead of him. If he keeps up this form — seven assists in one tournament and 19 in a single club season — records that once seemed permanent are now well within reach Yahoo Sports.
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