Mbappé warns media: Olise is introverted and 'will never change'

Kylian Mbappé gave a frank portrait of Michael Olise, warning journalists that the Bayern Munich winger would not be a talkative conversationalist at the 2026 World Cup — and that there was no need to take offence at it.

Invited to introduce his France teammates, the French captain chose precise words to describe the 24-year-old player. “He is the player of today and tomorrow. He has this elegance, this clarity in his game. I get on very well with him. Now we speak French together. He speaks it well,” Mbappé said.

But it was on Olise’s personality that the Bondy-born player was most direct. “He has this personality that means you, the media, will never know if his French is improving or not, because he shouldn’t talk to you much. He doesn’t like that, he’s like that. Michael is introverted. He economises his words. But his feet do the talking for him.” Before concluding: “Accept him as he is. He will never change. On top of being an extraordinary player, he’s a great guy.”

Born in London to a Nigerian father and a Franco-Algerian mother, Olise chose to wear the France shirt without mastering French perfectly. His discretion in press conferences stems as much from the language barrier as from a naturally reserved temperament, which Mbappé describes with a touch of amusement.

On the pitch, the record is unambiguous. Revealed in the Premier League wearing the Crystal Palace shirt, Olise confirmed his class in the Bundesliga since his arrival at Bayern Munich, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most decisive wingers. The 2026 World Cup will be his first major international tournament with France, and Mbappé already seems convinced that his teammate’s silence will be more than compensated for by his performances.