Michael Olise has become the standout star of the , where he leads the table with five assists and is emerging as one of the most influential players in the tournament.
The French winger has served as the primary playmaker for his national team, being the most productive partner of Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé in the French attack. His five assists not only place him at the top of the rankings but also represent the highest number of goal passes in a single World Cup since the German Thomas Häßler achieved the same mark in 1994, tying with Antoine Griezmann as the French player with the most assists in the history of the competition.
In second place is Martin Ødegaard with four assists. The captain of Norway was the mastermind behind the historic Scandinavian campaign, which reached the quarter-finals before falling 2-1 to England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on July 11. After the elimination, Ødegaard himself acknowledged the significance of their achievements: "We were close. It has been a fantastic adventure. We are proud of what we did."
The third spot is occupied by a sizable group of players, each with three assists: Mbappé, the English players Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon, the Mexican Roberto Alvarado, the German Florian Wirtz, and the Norwegian Andreas Schjelderup.
The figures for Olise reflect the collective strength of France, which reaches the semifinals as the most complete team in the tournament. The French not only have two of the top scorers of the championship but also the player who has created the most opportunities for his teammates.
That statistic also has a direct impact on the race for the Golden Boot, where Mbappé has the edge over Messi despite both having scored eight goals. The assist criterion breaks the tie in favor of the Frenchman, who has three assists compared to the two of the Argentine captain.
Ranking of attendances at the 2026 World Cup
- Michael Olise (France): 5 assists
- Martin Ødegaard (Norway): 4 assists
- Kylian Mbappé (France): 3 assists
- Bukayo Saka (England): 3 assists
- Anthony Gordon (England): 3 assists
- Roberto Alvarado (Mexico): 3 assists
- Florian Wirtz (Germany): 3 assists
- Andreas Schjelderup (Norway): 3 assists
France eliminated Morocco 2-0 in the quarterfinals and now awaits the semifinal clash against Spain, scheduled for this Tuesday, July 14, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, at 3:00 PM Cuba time.
With that match ahead, Olise will have the opportunity to extend his lead in the rankings and finish the tournament as the most prolific assister in recent World Cup history.
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