World’s best right winger? Why Olise is a ‘step below’ Yamal

Michael Olise Lamine Yamal Bayern Munich Barcelona 2025-26

Michael Olise and Lamine Yamal are two of the best right wingers in world football, but Marcel Desailly has told GOAL when Bayern Munich’s superstar Frenchman remains a “step below” Barcelona’s teenage wonderkid. Both forwards continue to post remarkable numbers for club and country, with their awe-inspiring skill sets about to illuminate the 2026 World Cup.

Olise & Yamal heading to 2026 World Cup with France & Spain

Olise will be at that tournament with France, while Yamal should shake off an unfortunate injury in time to play a prominent role for Spain. Les Bleus and La Roja are fancied by many to stake serious claims for global glory on North American soil.

If either nation is to go close in chasing down that target, then creativity on the flanks will go a long way towards carrying them over the line. In that department, Didier Deschamps and Luis de la Fuente have two elite performers at their disposal.

Lamine Yamal Michael Olise Spain France 2026

Goals & assists: Numbers posted by Olise & Yamal in 2025-26

Bundesliga champions Bayern saw Olise - during his second season at the Allianz Arena - register 20 goals and 26 assists across the 2025-26 campaign. Meanwhile, Yamal - when helping Barca to the Liga title - found the target on 24 occasions while teeing up 18 efforts for others.

He is still just 18 years of age, with a stunning rise to prominence being enjoyed. Olise is now 24, with a more scenic route to the top of world football being trodden by the London-born France international.

Who's the best? Assessing Bayern star Olise & Barcelona sensation Yamal

There appears to be little to choose between Olise and Yamal when it comes to productivity in their chosen position, but 1998 World Cup-winning Frenchman Desailly - speaking courtesy of MrRaffle.com - told GOAL when asked if they now sit at the same level: “I think that in the intensity of a higher-grade match, Olise is still a step below Yamal.

“Yamal has a better understanding - a small advance on understanding the traps that will be set for him on the pitch. You saw it in the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, where Olise was not able to handle the pressure of the opponent. He still has to learn. We can see that he needs to grow into the system.

“What is strange is that Yamal is a little bit younger. But Yamal can read and understand the intensity needed at a high level, particularly on the repetition of effort. Olise had a real drop in performance there. I was a little bit disappointed. It doesn't remove his quality or anything, it’s just that you can see there is still a bigger margin of progression required for him to reach the same consideration that we have for Yamal.”

Ballon d'Or trophy

Ballon d'Or bids: Could Olise or Yamal win Golden Ball in 2026?

While Desailly is of the opinion that Olise sits just below Yamal in the global pecking order, both are considered to be leading contenders to land the prestigious Ballon d’Or award in 2026.

If either were to form part of triumphant squads at this summer’s World Cup, while contributing significantly to a winning cause, then their respective claims to a Golden Ball triumph would be enhanced considerably.