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The brilliant Michael Olise represents a key faultline in history of French football
Unusually in the France side, he plays with a sense of freedom and has not yet submitted fully to Deschamps’s tactical yoke
TL;DR
- Michael Olise is described as the best creative player in the world, with exceptional assist numbers and a transformative impact on France's game.
- His style is characterized by freedom and joy, diverging from the tactical control often imposed by coach Didier Deschamps.
- Olise's presence highlights a historical debate in French football regarding the balance between attacking flair ('la gloire') and pragmatic, defensive play.
- French football history shows a recurring cycle between prioritizing stylish attacking football and adopting more conservative, results-driven strategies.
- Despite a squad rich in attacking talent, France has sometimes struggled to consistently play with 'élan', leading to criticism of Deschamps's cautious approach.
- Olise, alongside players like Mbappé and Dembélé, represents a potential return to the celebrated attacking heritage of French football, reminiscent of the 'carré magique' era.