French midfielder Michael Olise has just made a controversial statement regarding the Brazil national team.
In an online challenge going viral on social media, the Bayern Munich star was asked to choose the current best player from several top national teams in the world. Olise quickly gave his answers for many countries.
Specifically, the midfielder chose Harry Kane as the number one star for England, Joshua Kimmich representing Germany, Lamine Yamal for Spain, Lionel Messi for Argentina, and Bruno Fernandes for Portugal.
However, when asked about Brazil’s best player, Olise surprised many by answering briefly: “I don’t know.” This answer quickly spread on social media and created a strong wave of backlash from Brazilian fans.
Many fans argued that Olise showed a lack of respect for one of the most traditionally rich football nations in the world, especially given that Brazil still possesses many standout stars playing in Europe, such as Vinicius Junior or Raphinha.
Reactions from the Brazil national team also surfaced very quickly. Midfielder Bruno Guimaraes affirmed that the “Selecao” still possesses many world-class players shining in the colors of the world’s top clubs. The Newcastle star emphasized that Brazil deserves respect, while also recalling their record-breaking World Cup achievements with 5 championship titles.
Guimaraes also sent a warning to opponents, stating that Brazil is being underestimated, similar to the case of Argentina before the 2022 World Cup. According to him, that could absolutely become the motivation for the “Selecao” to create a successful campaign at the 2026 World Cup.
