France's Michael Olise has broken a World Cup record held by Brazilian legend Pelé for over 50 years, providing his seventh assist of the 2026 World Cup in the third-place game against England.
This achievement came as Olise provided the assist for Kylian Mbappé's 22nd World Cup goal, which also broke the all-time record set by Argentina's Lionel Messi earlier in the tournament.
Pelé had six assists in six games as Brazil won the 1970 World Cup, a record that has stood the test of time until Olise's performance in the 2026 World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, allowing Olise to play one more game than Pelé, although he has also averaged an assist per game.
Olise entered the third-place game with five assists and assisted on both of Mbappé's goals, with the assist to tie Pelé's record coming in the 48th minute.
However, Olise may be left to rue what could have been on Saturday, as he missed numerous chances on goal as France tried to make one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history.
No team has ever overcome a 4-0 deficit at the World Cup, but France had numerous opportunities to get the game tied, sending shots wide on several occasions.
The match was marked by UNREAL SCENES IN MIAMI, with Mbappé scoring France's third goal to take the all-time lead over Messi in goals scored at the FIFA World Cup.
As the tournament comes to a close, Olise's record-breaking performance will be remembered as one of the highlights of the 2026 World Cup.
The question now is what's next for Olise and the French team, as they look to build on their success in the World Cup and make a strong comeback in future tournaments.
With the 2026 World Cup expanding to 48 teams, the competition is expected to get fiercer, and Olise's achievement will be a benchmark for future players to strive for.
The World Cup has once again delivered on its promise of thrilling matches and record-breaking performances, and Olise's achievement is a testament to the excitement and drama that the tournament brings.
As the football world looks to the future, one thing is certain – Michael Olise's name will be etched in the history books as the player who broke Pelé's record for assists in a single tournament.
Source: Yahoo Sports
