Dugarry names Olise as the key to stopping France

Five assists in the group stage and round of 16, a 3-0 victory against Sweden on Tuesday evening: Michael Olise has established himself as the key man for the France team at the 2026 World Cup, to the point that Christophe Dugarry believes neutralizing him is the only serious way to slow down the Blues.

“The only way to counter this France team is to counter Michael Olise. I hope I’m not the only one who’s seen it,” said the 1998 World Cup winner. The pundit acknowledges the difficulty of the task, however: “It’s not easy, be careful, very complicated even, but already you’ll get to 50-60% of France’s potential.”

Dugarry nonetheless qualifies his remarks by highlighting the attacking depth of the Tricolores. “After that, yes, there’s maybe Ousmane Dembélé who will break free, then Kylian Mbappé… There are so many that it’s going to be complicated.” An admission that alone illustrates the embarrassment of riches that Didier Deschamps has at his disposal: Mbappé is rediscovering his best form, Dembélé has finally found his place in the system, and Olise is shining.

France had a perfect record in the group stage before eliminating Sweden without breaking a sweat. They will face Paraguay in the round of 16 this Saturday at 11 p.m. The Paraguayans now know which player to concentrate their defensive efforts on — if they’re capable of it.