Michael Olise had been one of France's standout performers throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026, but everything changed after the semifinal defeat to Spain.

The Bayern Munich midfielder was effectively neutralized by Spain's defense and quickly became one of the main targets of criticism following France's elimination.

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French media showed no mercy

Olise struggled to find space against Spain's relentless pressure.

He finished the match without completing a successful dribble or registering a shot on target, while also failing to create meaningful opportunities for Kylian Mbappé and the rest of France's attack.

The harshest comments came from After RMC, where journalist Daniel Riolo regretted comparing Olise to some of France's greatest football legends.

"We sat Olise at the table with Platini and Zidane, but he's not even in their kitchen!"

Riolo admitted he now regretted the praise he had given the Bayern Munich playmaker during the tournament.

L'Équipe also criticized his performance

French newspaper L'Équipe reached a similar conclusion, arguing that Olise was completely overwhelmed by Spain's defensive organization.

"The Bayern Munich midfielder went completely unnoticed and was overwhelmed by Spain's defensive block and high pressure in the semifinal."

Olise and Mbappé never connected

The numbers also reflected France's attacking struggles.

According to Opta, Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappé exchanged just one pass throughout the entire match against Spain.

That was a dramatic contrast to the 66 passes the duo had combined for during France's previous World Cup matches.

After starring throughout much of the tournament, Olise endured his most difficult night of the competition and found himself at the center of criticism from the French media.

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