March 13 – Michael Olise has been named the best-performing attacking player in world football, according to the latest CIES Football Observatory study. The Bayern Munich winger, who joined from Crystal Palace last summer in a €53million deal, leads the rankings ahead of teenage sensations Lamine Yamal and Florian Wirtz.
The study assessed players based on three key attacking metrics – take-ons, chance creation and finishing – with Olise scoring an impressive average index of 88.5. His creativity, in particular, stood out, earning a near-perfect 99 rating in that category.
The 23-year-old helped his team overcome Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday, progressing into the next round of the competition while also taking bragging rights back to Munich after dismantling last year’s invincible Bundesliga champions 5-0 on aggregate.
Trailing closely behind Olise is 17-year-old Barcelona prodigy Yamal (87.7), who continues to dazzle despite his tender age, while Leverkusen’s Wirtz (85.0) reinforces his reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting young stars.
Elsewhere in the top 10, Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior and Manchester City’s Savinho represent Brazil, while France boasts two entrants in PSG duo Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué.
England’s Bukayo Saka also makes the cut, slightly ahead of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian surprisingly low given his consistent output. The timing of the ranking is particularly interesting for Salah, who was seen as the front runner for the Ballon d’Or until Liverpool’s Champions League exit on penalties to PSG on Tuesday.
Beyond Europe’s traditional powerhouses, Noa Lang (PSV) is the highest-ranked player outside the big five leagues, finishing ahead of Chelsea loanee Estêvão Willian at Palmeiras.
Meanwhile, the study also recognised the longevity of experienced stars, with veterans like Iago Aspas, Karim Benzema and Yacine Brahimi still holding their own among the best performers, albeit in leagues with significantly less quality as they enter the twilight of their careers.
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