Just days before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo already has his place secured in the 26-player roster selected by head coach Roberto Martinez. However, France star Michael Olise believes another player is currently the biggest star of the Portugal national team.
During an interview with FCBayernESports shared on Instagram, Olise took part in a game that involved naming the best player from six different national teams. When it came to Portugal, the winger made a surprising choice by not selecting Ronaldo.
“Let me say… Bruno,” Olise replied, referring to Fernandes. It is a logical choice considering the attacking midfielder’s outstanding season with Manchester United, where he established himself as the Premier League’s top performer. Still, the answer also reflects how time is gradually moving CR7 away from the dominant role he held with Portugal for nearly two decades.
North America 2026 will almost certainly be Ronaldo’s final major international tournament, as it is difficult to imagine him continuing much longer with the national team, let alone reaching UEFA Euro 2028. In that inevitable generational transition, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Vitinha and Ruben Dias appear set to become the new leaders of the squad.
Olise’s other selections
In addition to naming Bruno Fernandes over Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal, Michael Olise also selected the best players from several other countries. For Germany, the decision was easy, as he chose his Bayern Munich teammate Joshua Kimmich. The same happened with England: “Harry” was his response, referring to Kane.
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Lamine Yamal was chosen by Olise as Spain’s standout player, while Lionel Messi earned that recognition for Argentina, as expected. Interestingly, when asked about Brazil, the French winger hesitated before admitting: “I don’t know.”
Olise prepares for his first World Cup
With 22 goals and 31 assists in 52 matches for Bayern Munich across all competitions this season, Michael Olise arrives at his first major international tournament in outstanding form.
He made his debut for France less than two years ago, shortly following UEFA Euro 2024, having decided against representing England internationally. Since then, his performances have earned him an increasingly important role under Didier Deschamps. At this point, it appears clear that France’s attacking trio at the World Cup will feature him alongside Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe.
