Curious Olise anecdote: Bayern star used to sleep in the car regularly | OneFootball

Michael Olise is currently impressing with world-class performances at FC Bayern – but a curious anecdote from his early days shows just how unusual the attacking star’s path was

Former Reading coach Mark Bowen has now unpacked a remarkable story about the Bayern star that perfectly matches his calm and composed demeanour. „Every morning when I came to the training ground, Michael was just sitting in his car asleep,“ Bowen recalled in the ZDF format Bolzplatz

The background is as simple as it is extraordinary: Olise, who was still young at the time, commuted from London to Reading every day – a journey he deliberately tackled extremely early. „He might have left at 5.30 in the morning to get to training on time,“ says Bowen

But instead of going straight to the training ground, the teenager used the time he had gained in his own way – and fell asleep in the car without further ado

Coach had to knock on the window

This was initially irritating for his teammates. Experienced professionals repeatedly asked the coach about the whereabouts of the talent. Bowen’s answer was as dry as it was apt: „Guys, he might be late for training, but while you were still in bed, he was already in the parking lot.“

The solution was pragmatic: they simply knocked on the car window to wake Olise up. „He was still a young lad and just fell asleep,“ Bowen explained with a grin

The story fits in with a career path that was anything but straightforward. Olise was discarded at a young age by both Chelsea FC and Manchester City – despite his great talent

It was only at Reading FC that the Frenchman found the right environment to develop. Bowen still remembers the doubts of big clubs today: „The only thing I can put it down to is that it was perhaps seen negatively at these clubs that he was too confident.“

But it was precisely this self-confidence that would later prove to be a decisive factor

From talent to difference maker

photo: IMAGO

After his breakthrough at Reading, Olise’s path eventually led him to FC Bayern via Crystal Palace. The Munich club invested around €53 million in 2024 – a sum that has long since paid off

With currently 20 goals and 29 assists in 47 competitive matches, the 24-year-old is one of the most influential figures in European soccer. He once again underlined his class in the spectacular 4:5 against PSG

The anecdote from England impressively shows what still characterizes Olise today: a special calmness and an unagitated way of dealing with pressure and expectations.