Michael Olise, a Right Winger, was born to a French mother and Nigerian father (Vincent), and from an early age, he forged a unique footballing identity. Unlike many, he didn’t emulate the styles of famous players like Messi or Ronaldo. Instead, he carved out his own path, drawing inspiration from street football and developing his own distinct style. This independence and originality have been integral to his growth as both a player and an individual.
Discover the journey of Michael Olise, a promising talent whose path in football is marked by skill, creativity, and a deep familial connection to the game.
With roots tracing back to Vincent, his father, and a relationship with Nigerian football legend Sunday Oliseh, Michael’s story is one of heritage, ambition, and the early signs of a flourishing career.
This biography delves into Olise’s early life, his family origin, and the personal and professional milestones that spotlight his rise in the football world.
Beyond his achievements on the field, explore the life of Michael Olise, including his lifestyle, personal life, and the dedication that drives him toward becoming one of football’s most watched talents.
In a Nutshell, this memoir explains the Full Life History of Michael Olise. We’ll tell you about a footballer who won’t celebrate his goals.
This is a story about a footballer of Nigerian Delta State Origin. A Superstar with a complicated character.
To whet your autobiography appetite about the engaging nature of Michael Olise’s Bio, we have deemed it fit to provide you with his Boyhood and Success Gallery. This is the life trajectory of the ever-handsome footballer.
From the minute you first see Olise play football, you’ll realise he is special. He is a star so full of Street Wisdom.
Michael Olise is confident, comfortable with the ball, loves to receive it in tight areas and glides past opponents with ease.
Despite the way fans praise him, we realize that not many people know him off the pitch. In short, only a few of football fans have read a concise piece of Michael Olise’s Biography.
We have taken a step further to write this long piece about his Life story. This is because of our love for the beautiful game. Now, without further ado, let’s proceed with the events of Michael Olise’s Early Life.
Michael Olise Childhood Story:
For starters, it’s important to note that he goes by the nickname “Mike”. Born on December 12, 2001, Michael Akpovie Olise hails from Hammersmith, West London, England. His parents are Vincent, a Nigerian father, and a French-Algerian mother. Michael is one of two boys, with a younger brother named Richard.
All children were born into the marital union between their Dad and Mum. Behold, Michael Olise’s parents – persons who gave him life.
Both parents raised an introverted child (in Michael). While he was a child, Michael often chose to remain silent. That made people around him – find it hard to figure out what was going on in his head.
Michael Olise’s parents and sibling (a brother) were the people who perfectly understood his very reserved nature.
Thankfully, Football became a way Olise had let go of some part of his introversion. The beautiful game made him socialize more with people.
He is not the only introvert we’ve written about. Michael Olise is among footballers like Karim Adeyemi and Boubakary Soumare, whose Biographies explain a lot about their introversion.
Growing-Up Years:
During his early years, Michael Olise was deeply immersed in the world of football, often spending his days alongside his younger brother Richard. The two siblings, both avid Chelsea fans, were the only children of their parents, with no sisters in the family.
Our research has it that Richard Olise, who is Michael’s brother, was born on the 9th day of September 2004. By implication, it means Michael (his older brother) is 1,093 days OR 2 Years, 11 Months and 4 Weeks older than Richard.
From having a Childhood Idol to being his own person:
Early on, Michael Olise modelled the way he plays football by using Neymar as his role model. As he grew up, the boy had a U-Turn on whom he idolized.
Michael Olise later admitted he follows no one’s style. The Baller stressed that he has become his own person.
Early on, Olise used street football sense to create an identity for himself. He never adopted the style of any top footballers, Messi, Ronaldo, Beckham, etc.
Being his own person became part of his personality as he grew up. The Rising star holds a belief that he has a natural gift of football and won’t copy anyone.
Michael Olise Family Background:
The talented winger hails from a footballing middle-class household. Although not among the richest in Hammersmith, Michael Olise’s parents managed to get the best out of him and his little brother, Richard.
Michael Olise’s Nigerian Dad is foresighted. Vincent is a man who, early on, decided he would live his football dreams through his sons.
With his power of foreseeing, the never-give-up Nigerian vowed to lay a good footballing foundation for both Michael and Richard.
Michael Olise Family Origin:
To begin with, the Footballer has four nationalities. Through Michael Olise’s Dad, he is a Nigerian.
Furthermore, by virtue of his country of birth, England, he is a British citizen. And through Michael Olise’s Mum, he is both a French and Algerian citizen (the same as Rayan Cherki‘s Mum).
Michael Olise’s Family Origin – through his Dad, Vincent. Where in Nigeria do his ancestors come from?
Upon his birth, the footballer’s Dad gave him the Nigerian tribal middle name – Akpovie. This is a Nigerian tribal name. People who bear this name have their family roots in Delta State, Nigeria. And Delta is Michael Olise’s Nigerian state of origin.
As we research further, we notice his middle name, Akpovie, is synonymous with the Nigerian Urhobo ethnic group. Also, his surname ‘Olise’ is bore by people from Kwale and not Abavo (the ancestral home of Sunday Oliseh).
Hence, it is likely that Michael Olise’s Dad is from Ndokwa LGA of Delta State. In case you are not aware, Kwale is a city in Delta State, Nigeria. This oil-rich South Nigerian city is located within the colonial Warri province.
Michael Olise Education and Career Buildup:
At the time he was six years old, his Dad placed him in a grassroots team, Hayes FC. He did that so Michael would receive the needed football education. Michael Olise had a great foundation at Hayes. He rose and became the best player in his age group.
While at Hayes youth, Olise had a namesake coach named Michael Richards. This was his first coach. He coached Olise from the ages of six to eight.
Years later, Michael Olise’s first coach found him on Facebook when he played for Chelsea against Real Madrid youth. Very astonished, Michael Richards said this about his old student;
Some kids are gifted with natural abilities. Michael Olise most certainly was.
He was such a stand out talent. A joy to coach and watch play.
Getting recognized by scouts:
From the age of nine, the boy’s name began echoing among neighbouring teams located in the districts of West London. One man, Sean Conlon, took more interest in Michael Olise. Sean is one of Chelsea FC scouts and founder/CEO of a project called – We Make Footballers.
As of that time, Sean Conlon was also in charge of the youth development programme at QPR.
Michael Olise’s name echoed all the way from Hayes to his doorstep. The scout heard about a top talent and decided he would go and see one of his games.
That day, there were a lot of young footballers ready to show their worth. Sean noticed that Michael, at that stage, had not had much coaching. He only saw the boy’s raw abilities on display – and that impressed him. In his words,
What stood out was Olise’s physical movement and the way he glides across the pitch.
The boy was so sharp. He makes clean turns with a great technique.
Arsenal and Spurs Childhood Training:
At the time Sean Conlon noticed him, Michael Olise had just begun training with Arsenal and Spurs.
At that time, it was normal for youngsters to take training options away from Hayes FC. For Michael Olise’s parents, the idea was to find the right fit for the son.
Sean, the lucky Scout. He finally got the boy – and his Brother, Richard:
Mr Sean Conlon likened Michael’s choice of training with Spurs and Arsenal to choosing different schools and tasting what each has to offer. First, Tottenham got rejected.
While Michael Olise’s family rejected Arsenal and was trying to gauge his next steps, the Super Scout quickly jumped in to convince Vincent, the boy’s Dad. Sean Conlon told Olise’s Dad the following;
It’ll make sense for Michael to move across from Hayes to us – Chelsea FC Academy.
Your son will be ahead of the under eights.
The efforts of Sean Conlon didn’t go in vain. At last, he succeeded in convincing Michael Olise’s parents (notably his Dad) to have not just their first son but Richard as well. Michael was thirteen years old at the time this picture was taken.
Michael Olise Biography – Early Life with the Blues:
Sean Conlon continued to work with the boy, especially during Chelsea academy breaks. That extra training with older players (adults) developed Michael’s maturity and ball sense. Recalling this experience, Conon said,
During breaks, I invited him to play in my adult seven-a-side team.
In that team contains 28 years old men, who were semi pros.
Shockingly, Michael Olise was fourteen when he was asked to play with 28 years old men. Everyone was astonished at his age and how he outclassed everybody on the pitch.
In his mid-teenage years, Michael developed a habit of playing with his brain. He never looked to fight for the ball physically.
Thanks to his improvement, Chelsea selected him for the BlueBBVA International Tournament. Michael played against the likes of Real Madrid youth.
Road to Fame Story:
The Hammersmith Jewel signed for Chelsea FC at the age of nine and left them when he was fourteen. Although Michael Olise’s brother, Richard, remained at the club. This was a strategy by Michael Olise’s father, Vincent.
Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea academies are among the most prestigious in London. Many footballers, like Noni Madueke and Declan Rice, etc, have all opted to leave these top London academies at tender ages. To this end, we ask;
Why did Michael Olise leave Chelsea at fourteen?
According to research, Michael left Chelsea Football Academy by mutual consent. Another rumour has it that Michael Olise’s parents decided he would leave the club because of the way they handled their academy graduates.
The Chelsea Players on Exile at that time – including Big Names:
Talk less of academy players; some of Chelsea’s senior team members were also sent on loan.
Put simply, there was no place for them in their senior squad. For this reason, many academy stars felt like leaving the club for fear of non-inclusion in the senior team.
It is pertinent to note that, as of 2015, the Mirror reported that a whooping thirty-three (33) Chelsea players were on loan. Note: there are big names on the list.
Less popular among the names include Nathan Ake (CB), Patrick Bamford (CF), Dominic Solanke (CF), Andreas Christensen, and Nathaniel Chalobah. More popular among them include Mohamed Salah (on loan at Roma), Juan Cuadrado and Victor Moses.
Contrary to popular belief that Olise left Chelsea by mutual consent, there are some schools of thought that say the London academy released him.
Manchester City Story:
At the age of fifteen, Olise successfully enrolled in another of England’s acclaimed football academies – Manchester City. According to TheSun, his spell at City failed to bring anything more concrete for the youngster.
That resulted in him (just like Jadon Sancho) leaving the club. Come to think of it… If Michael had stayed at City, he would have joined the likes of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden in the senior team.
Michael Olise Biography – Success Story:
Through an Academy scholarship program, Olise got into Reading Football Club. He stayed in their academy from 2016 (where he found his feet) and graduated in 2019.
Barely a year after academy graduation, the winger began making a big impact in the club. In fact, Olise blossomed into one of the best young players outside of the English Premier League.
At Reading, Michael Olise racked up seven goals and 12 assists. This was a very cool statistic for a footballer of just 19 years old. This video justifies the huge hype surrounding Michael Olise at that time.
Of all the footballers Reading has cultivated for the big stage down the years, Michael Olise is so far the highest prospect. The next person after him is Gylfi Sigurdsson.
At the end of the 2020/2021 season, Reading’s Jewel bagged four individual honours. They include: (a) EFL Championship Young Player of the Season, (b) Member of the EFL Championship Team of the Season and (c) Member of the PFA Team of the Year honours.
Shortly after winning these, a posse of big clubs began monitoring him like drones. Also, four nations (Nigeria, France, Algeria and England) began vying for his loyalty. At that time, everyone saw Olise as one of the most coveted right-wing prospects outside the English Premier League.
The Release Clause:
A smart move made by Michael Olise’s dad was to ensure an £8.37 million release clause on his son’s contract.
That made it easy for any English Premier League club to trigger and fetch him. According to a BBC Report, Crystal Palace won the race for Olise’s signature.
The truth is, if it had not been for the buyout clause in his contract, transfer fees would undoubtedly have reached around 20 million pounds or more. Both Crystal Palace and Michael Olise’s parents shared their happiness in this video.
Joining the African Brothers:
The Championship’s most burgeoning talent finally joined a club considered to be the home of many African footballers.
Notable among those we’ve written their Bio are; Marc Guehi, playmaker Eberechi Eze (AM), Wilfried Zaha (LW), Jordan Ayew, Jean Philippe Mateta, Odsonne Edward, etc.
Now, with the Eagles, Michael Olise has shown that he can shine his way into becoming a Premier League Star. Just like how other England rising stars – the likes of Harvey Elliott and Cole Palmer are doing.
For everyone like him who rose through an elite academy to the summit, there are countless names that fell through the cracks. No doubt, Michael Olise’s journey is nothing against Chelsea.
As I write Michael Olise’s Bio, his fans have urged him to be more focused and efficient in attack. This is something Wilfried Zaha had discovered.
In fact, Wilfried Zaha is a great example of what Michael Olise can become over time. This video proves that. It is a sign that Michael Olise would be Great.
This performance of the Selhurst Park hero (in a cup match) speaks to the excitement that he’ll bring to fans more in the future. The rest of Michael Olise’s Bio, as we say, is now history.
Michael Olise’s Girlfriend?
The Hammersmith native is no doubt a handsome footballer. Michael only makes news for the impressive performance he puts up on the pitch. As I write this bio, there is no news or gossip about his girlfriend’s identity.
Since his coming to the Premier League, there’ve been a lot of inquiries as regards his love life. To this end, we ask the ultimate question;
Who IS Michael Olise dating?
The results from our inquiry tell us – that Michael Olise is possibly single. At this critical phase of his career, his Dad (Vincent) would not approve of his son committing himself to any relationship. Let alone allow Michael to have a wife or baby mama.
Personal Life:
In this section of Michael Olise’s Biography, we’ll tell you the things you probably don’t know about him. First, he is the kind of person who, despite his politeness, can sometimes confuse his people with his elusiveness.
Research has it that Michael Olise is the type of person who will shake your hand in the morning – a very nice handshake. Then, the next day, he would ignore you and not even say hello.
People who know him often say he is not a bad person at all, though. He speaks well, and he’s such a nice guy.
Olise sometimes behaves in the wrong way to his coaches. It takes a friendly coach like Patrick Vieira not to have concerns about Olise’s attitude.
The Instagram Unfollow:
Once upon a time, midway through his Reading season, Olise suddenly unfollowed all his teammates on Instagram. He had just woken up in the morning, and boom, he did that.
Olise only followed 15 persons, including two of his teammates. Upon reaching training, he refused to give reasons for unfollowing others. Those of his Reading teammates who got affected became dumbfounded.
Michael Olise Hobby:
Regarding what he does as a pastime, the English footballer loves rap music. Lil Uzi Vert is Michael Olise’s favourite rapper. This is an American rapper and singer with lots of facial piercings and tattoos.
Does not Celebrate Goals:
Lots of people who know him have said that Michael is a bit weird in character. This is because when he scores (even in crucial matches), he won’t celebrate. One day, one of his teammates reacted to this by saying,
‘Mike, you’ve just scored for us an important goal …. and you’re just walking back?’.
Guys, What is this boy doing???
Truth be told. Lots of people Michael Olise has crossed paths with – have all struggled to understand his complicated character.
Some people end up questioning his complex persona, only for them to realize he is a kind-hearted person. In the end, Michael makes people understand that he just wants to carve out his own identity.
Michael Olise Lifestyle:
The former Reading star is an antidote to expensive living. He is not the proud type who uses their social media accounts for self-satisfied talks about their wealth. Michael would rather spend his money on his dress.
In the world of football fashion, several youngsters like Olise and Trevoh Chalobah set the rhythm. Michael is not just handsome but a stylish dresser who always dresses to look smart.
Michael Olise’s Car:
When it comes to comfort, the winger prefers a spacious automobile. Put simply, Michael is a fan of the Space bus. So far on his Instagram Bio, the footballer has only shown the interior of this car to his fans.
Michael Olise Family Life:
Having four nationalities and ethnic backgrounds in one’s name is indeed something special.
What is even more special is Michael Olise’s parents’ role in ensuring he and his brother get the best from their careers. Now, we’ll tell you more about his family members.
About Michael Olise Father:
Vincent Olise left Nigeria to seek a better future abroad. He found his life partner, and they both got blessed with two handsome boys. Vincent is a Dad who won’t rest until footballing sons are comfortable with their lives. He is similar to Joseph – Anthony Elanga‘s Dad.
As you have noticed in our Bio, Michael Olise’s Dad is strategic as well. Rather than putting his eggs in one basket, he didn’t.
Vincent Olise left one of his sons (Richard) at Chelsea and approved the other to go play elsewhere. Eden Hazard‘s parents applied similar steps that saw their sons succeed.
Unlike the Dad of Alex Iwobi, Michael Olise’s father is not keen on convincing his son to play his international football for Nigeria. For this reason, the Football Genius has not responded favourably to the request of Nigerian football representatives.
About Michael Olise Mother:
Our findings tell us that the Franco-Algerian Mum was the person who negotiated the deal to land her son in Crystal Palace.
Michael Olise’s Mum grew up in France. That made her speak converse in the French language fluently with Patrick Vieira, who is also French.
Following a productive conversation with Patrick Vieira in French, Michael Olise’s mother gave the go-ahead for her son’s £8 million release fee to get triggered.
In a bid to know more about his mother’s origin, her son has left open, his chances of playing with Algeria.
About Richard, Michael Olise Brother:
According to Chelsea FC‘s website, he is a very calm and composed right-sided defender. Richard Olise is a footballer who can both defend and attack. That will make him a man Thomas Tuchel would admire.
From our judgement, Richard Olise is very similar to Reece James in the area of his playing style. He is a handsome footballer who has all the attributes of a modern-day full-back.
While Michael represents French football, his younger brother (Richard) plies his trade with England at the youth level. Presently at Chelsea academy, we hope to see Richard succeed Tino Livramento (on loan) or Reece James – the registered as senior right-backs with Chelsea.
Just like his brother, Michael, Richard has four nationalities. He is French and Algerian through his Mother. Nigerian through his father. Finally, England by virtue of his birth.
As a result of birth and family origin, Richard Olise is eligible to represent any of England, France, Nigeria and Algeria.
Untold Facts:
As we reach the last phase of Michael Olise’s Bio, we’ll use this section to tell you more truths about the French footballer. Without further ado, let’s proceed.
Michael Olise Net Worth:
A senior career that began in 2019 implies that he has not really earned much in his career.
An aggregate of sponsorship deal(s) and salary leaves Michael Olise’s Net Worth to be approximately 1.5 million pounds (2022 stats).
Is Michael Olise Related To Sunday Oliseh?
The simple answer is ‘No’. No family ties exist between the two, even as they both share near-similar surnames. However, one thing is common to both celebrities. Michael Olise and Sunday Oliseh are both from Delta State, Nigeria.
One of Olise’s most prized possessions:
It is no other than his framed number 48 shirt. This is the shirt Olise wore throughout his academy career years.
For being an academy graduate who made it into the first team, Reading gifted a framed 48 shirt to him to commemorate the occasion of his debut.
Michael Olise’s parents (notably his Dad) currently look after his framed shirt. This tells you how important it means to him. The trust is, this seminal souvenir is unlikely to be the last memorabilia Olise will collect in his career.
He is part of Chelsea’s Biggest loss:
The London-based club has lost some of its best teenagers in recent years. These people, as we’ll tell you, have now turned into superstars in their destination clubs.
To start with, West Ham legend Declan Rice left the Chelsea football academy at the age of 14. At that same age, Michael Olise left the club with Richard, his brother, staying behind. Finally, Jamaal Musiala is another star who left Chelsea in his teenage years.
Michael Olise Profile:
The England-born French footballer who plays like Lamine Yamal and Pedro Neto is very much underrated in FIFA. Michael Olise deserves a better overall rating than his 73 stat.
From the statistics above, Olise is one of the world’s best footballers when it comes to Agility. He is an agile player who can turn quicker and is more likely to attempt spectacular headers, volleys, and bicycle kicks.
Michael Olise Religion:
The Hammersmith native is yet to release any clue that leads us to his ideology. And there is less school of thought that thinks he is a Muslim. This is because one of Michael Olise’s parents (his Mum) is of Algerian origin – a country with a 98% Muslim population.
Despite the above speculation on his religion, our odds are in favour of Michael Olise being a Christian. This is because he bears a Christian name (Michael), as well as his brother (Richard). Michael Olise’s father’s name is Vincent – a Christian name.
EndNote:
Michael Olise was born to parents of different nationalities. Vincent Olise, his Dad, is Nigerian by origin. Michael Olise’s Mum is an Algerian who immigrated to France (similar to Yacine Adli‘s parents). Being born in England means Michael, like Luca Koleosho, has multiple different nationalities.
Many fans have asked if Michael Olise is related to Sunday Oliseh. The truth is, they are not family relatives or brothers.
Upon our research on Vincent Olise (Michael Olise’s Dad), we found out he is from Delta State in Nigeria. The Nigerian football legend, Sunday Oliseh, is also from Delta State in Nigeria.
Michael Olise grew up alongside his younger brother, who goes by the name Richard. Both boys spent their early lives in London, mostly playing football. The beautiful game got them to Chelsea Football Club through Sean Conlon, a scout.
At the age of fourteen, Michael Olise’s parents approved their son to leave the London club for reading. While there, he achieved superstardom, becoming the brightest youngster of the 2020/2021 English Championship. That feat earned him a move to Crystal Palace.
Now in the Premier League, Michael Olise is already showing signs of having another meteoric rise. Selhurst Park fans are appreciative of having someone who is so comfortable and confident with the ball.
The Ex-Reading teen glides effortlessly on the ball. And this attribute does set Olise apart from other decent players in the World’s toughest league. For Crystal Palace fans, the greatest bundle of joy would be to see him add goals to his game.