Kompany: Michael Olise had the qualities of a world-class player before Bayern Munich

Vincent Kompany says Michael Olise’s emergence as a world-class player is down to qualities he already possessed, rather than the influence of the Bayern Munich manager.

The France winger has impressed recently for his national team, adding to a strong period at club level. Olise is now regarded by Kompany as a player capable of reaching the highest level of the game.

Asked by Sky Sport Germany about his part in Olise’s development, Kompany said: “I believe a player with Michael Olise’s talent will always succeed. He will always be among the best players. It is not only about his talent, but also his mentality and his attention to detail.”

Kompany believes Olise’s ability to understand situations quickly is one of the qualities that separates him from other players.

“He always seems to have the vision to see things that others may not see, and that applies even in training,” said the Belgian coach. “That is why this young man has become a truly outstanding player in world football.”

Despite praising Olise’s progress, Kompany said the key responsibility for coaches working with players of his ability is to ensure they retain their desire to improve.

“The most important thing for a coach when working with players like these – and I say this not only from my experience as a manager, but also from my experience as a team-mate of players of this kind – is that they keep their hunger,” he said.

“That remains important even when they move into an environment where praise is no longer present all the time.”

Kompany explained that standards at Bayern Munich are constantly assessed through a player’s performances and work on the training ground.

“At Bayern Munich, you receive praise for what you deliver, for the way you work in training, and for what you do and produce in matches,” he said. “If that is missing in one game, we immediately begin discussing how to take the next steps. That is the role we play.”

However, Kompany stressed that Bayern Munich could not be credited with turning Olise into a global star.

“It is not about us making a player into a world-class player,” he added. “That is impossible. He already has those qualities inside him.”

Olise is among the candidates for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, which will be presented at a ceremony in London on 26 October this month.