Michael Olise Breaks Pele's Assist Record in Thrilling World Cup Showdown
Historic Achievement for Michael Olise
Miami [US], July 19: French winger Michael Olise has made history at the FIFA World Cup by achieving his seventh assist during the 2026 tournament, surpassing the legendary Pele's long-held record for the most assists in a single World Cup edition.
The Bayern Munich star reached this milestone in the third-place match against England at Miami Stadium, where he assisted two goals for captain Kylian Mbappe, bringing his total assists to seven.
Pele's previous record of six assists had remained unbroken since the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, a remarkable achievement that lasted for 56 years.
Olise kicked off his World Cup journey by assisting Mbappe in France's opening game against Senegal, followed by two assists each in matches against Iraq and Sweden, inching closer to the historic record.
His two assists in the match against England, both converted by Mbappe, not only helped him surpass Pele but also set a new standard for the most assists in a single FIFA World Cup.
Despite this remarkable achievement, Olise still trails Argentina's Lionel Messi in the all-time World Cup assists leaderboard. With seven assists in the 2026 tournament, he is five assists behind Messi's overall record.
In addition to his World Cup success, Olise had an outstanding club season with Bayern Munich, finishing the Bundesliga with 15 goals and 19 assists, contributing significantly to the team's league title and DFB-Pokal victory.
Unfortunately, Olise's record-breaking performance came in a losing effort, as France was defeated 6-4 by England in a thrilling match that saw the Three Lions claim the bronze medal.
This loss also marked a disappointing end for French head coach Didier Deschamps, concluding his 14-year tenure as manager.
The match will be remembered as the highest-scoring third-place playoff in modern World Cup history, with England's Bukayo Saka scoring a stunning hat-trick, overshadowing Mbappe's brace and leading England to their best World Cup finish abroad since 1966.
England dominated the first half, taking a shocking 4-0 lead before halftime, with Declan Rice scoring just three minutes into the match, followed by Ezri Konsa and two quick goals from Bukayo Saka.
However, the second half saw a remarkable turnaround as Deschamps made tactical changes that revitalized the French team. Mbappe scored in the 48th minute, followed by Bradley Barcola, narrowing the gap to 4-2.
Mbappe's second goal in the 66th minute brought France within one goal, making him the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history with 22 goals, surpassing Messi's 21.
As the match neared its conclusion, England secured their lead with an 87th-minute penalty converted by Saka, completing his hat-trick and making it 5-3.
Despite Ousmane Dembele scoring for France in stoppage time, Jude Bellingham sealed the match with a goal in the 90+8th minute, finalizing England's extraordinary 6-4 victory and their third-place finish in the FIFA World Cup 2026.