Former Real Madrid midfielder Claude Makelele has revealed he urged club president Florentino Perez to sign Bayern Munich and France winger Michael Olise, describing the 24-year-old as the one player worth a major investment.
Speaking to Marca as a ComeOn ambassador ahead of the FIFA World Cup semi-finals, Makelele praised Olise’s creativity, flair and ability to change matches, insisting the winger possesses qualities that excite both teammates and supporters.
He said: “Michael Olise to Real Madrid? I would support it.
“I had the opportunity to speak with President Florentino Perez and I told him that if there’s money to spend on just one player, it’s him.”
Explaining why he rates the France international so highly, Makelele added: “Olise brings back the feeling of watching football, the taste of what we experienced as children: talent, freedom, quality, effectiveness.
“When he’s not on the pitch, his absence is noticeable.”
The former Chelsea midfielder also compared Olise’s influence on matches to that of Argentina captain Lionel Messi.
He said: “When he’s on form, you sense that, at any moment, like Messi, he can do something unexpected.
“Look at [Ousmane] Dembele, [Kylian] Mbappe, [Bradley] Barcola: they know he’s capable of placing the ball in a space that other players don’t even see.”
Makelele continued: “That’s the modern football we love, the football that makes fans dream. Even the commentators are amazed by his technique.
“He’s exceptional.”
Despite his admiration for Olise, the former France international dismissed comparisons between the Bayern Munich winger and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham.
He said: “Jude Bellingham or Michael Olise? Let them speak for themselves. What they’re doing is exceptional. I don’t make comparisons.”
Expanding on his philosophy, Makelele added: “That’s my philosophy: you never compare the greats.
“You can’t compare Pele with the generations that followed him, and with [Diego] Maradona, the comparisons never end.”
He concluded: “[Zinedine] Zidane left his mark on world football and it will last forever, regardless of the generations that follow him.
“Let each of these young players build their careers in their own way and write their own name in the history of this sport.”
