Michael Olise becomes a key player under Zidane in France's win over Belgium

Under France's new national coach Zinédine Zidane, a footballer is increasingly becoming a key player. Not star striker Kylian Mbappé or world footballer Ousmane Dembélé, but Michael Olise from FC Bayern Munich.

On Monday evening, the French won 4-1 (0-1) in the Nations League against Belgium. It is the third win in the fourth game under Zidane. The team scored seven goals. Olise, 24, was involved in six of them, either setting them up or scoring them himself.

"It's simply extraordinary what he does," said Zidane about Belgium after their success at the Stade de France. Olise initially sat on the bench, but because new coach Mark van Bommel's Belgians led for a long time after Dodi Lukébakio's goal (35th minute), Zidane brought Olise into the game. That was in the 60th minute. The subsequent half hour was enough for Olise to score two goals and provide an assist.

His coach called the game “encouraging” and said he was “very optimistic for the future.” He was also satisfied with the ten points from the first four games of his term in office.

However, Zidane noted: »There are things to improve, but it will come step by step. We can do it better, and we will do it better." The former world star particularly complained about the "lack of penetration in the last 25 to 30 meters": "We will have to occupy the penalty area more and push more players in in order to be more efficient. But after we equalized, it was a completely different game.