World Cup 2026: Michael Olise one step away from Pelé's record

The intensity of the 2026 World Cup isn’t just about the race for the trophy. The battle for historic records is also captivating fans, as several players attempt to topple benchmarks that have stood for decades.

Michael Olise continues his pursuit of Pelé and Messi’s records

In this context, French international Michael Olise has edged closer to one of the World Cup’s most iconic records thanks to his outstanding performances in the blue shirt.

The Bayern Munich attacking midfielder currently leads the 2026 World Cup assist charts with five assists to his name, including two during France’s convincing 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 16.

Only a handful of players have managed to reach this tally in a single World Cup edition: Poland’s Grzegorz Lato in 1974, Germany’s Pierre Littbarski in 1982, Argentina’s Diego Maradona in 1986, and Germany’s Thomas Häßler in 1994.

The all-time record, however, belongs to Brazilian legend Pelé, who racked up six assists at the 1970 World Cup. Olise now stands just one assist shy of matching this historic feat.

The Frenchman is also chasing another prestigious milestone. Across all competitions this season, he has now registered 32 assists—just two short of Lionel Messi’s personal best of 34 assists in a single campaign.

For the record, France will face Paraguay in the Round of 16 next Saturday. It’s a fixture that could see Michael Olise equal or even surpass Pelé’s legendary record.

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Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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