A Stunning Display from the Crystal Palace Star
Michael Olise continues to rewrite the record books for France. The Crystal Palace winger scored a brilliant hat-trick in France’
Olise, who has been in devastating form since making his international debut, now has seven goals in just 17 appearances for Les Bleus. To put that achievement into perspective, it matches the entire goal tally of Ousmane Dembélé, who has 59 caps for France since 2016.
Historical Context
Olise’
The hat-trick also saw Olise become the first France player to score three goals in a single match since Kylian Mbappé’
Dembélé Struggles While Olise Shines
While Olise stole the headlines, the match was a contrasting evening for his fellow attacker Ousmane Dembélé. The Ballon d’Or winner, who has not scored for France since March 2025, endured a frustrating night against the Northern Irish defense. Despite being directly involved in the buildup to several chances, Dembélé could not find the back of the net, underlining his ongoing drought in front of goal for the national team.
Kylian Mbappé also had a quiet evening by his stratospheric standards, failing to add to his impressive international goal tally. The France captain was well marshalled by the Northern Irish defense, who crowded him out whenever he received the ball in dangerous areas.
Perfect Timing Ahead of the World Cup
For Didier Deschamps, Olise’
As France prepare to defend their world title, the emergence of Olise as a genuine match-winner gives Deschamps a selection headache of the best kind. With the attacking riches at his disposal, the France manager must now decide how best to deploy Olise alongside the established stars of the squad.
