It takes something truly special to be voted Player of the Season ahead of a striker who came close to breaking the Bundesliga’s all-time scoring record. Yet that is exactly what Michael Olise achieved after a sensational 2025/26 campaign for Bayern Munich.
Six of ten Bulinews.com writers voted for the French winger, who finished one of Bayern’s most impressive seasons in recent memory with 34 goal contributions.
Much has already been said about Olise, but his performances continue to demand praise. Since arriving from Crystal Palace, the 24-year-old has developed into one of the world’s elite players. Alongside teammate Harry Kane, he has emerged as one of the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or, too.
His influence has extended beyond club football, too. Olise has become a decisive figure for France and recently underlined his importance by scoring a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland in Les Bleus’ final friendly ahead of the World Cup.
What ultimately set Olise apart this season was his remarkable consistency. Week after week, he delivered decisive contributions, regardless of the opposition or the occasion. Off the pitch, his humble and reserved personality has made him a fan favourite, while on the pitch, his elegance, technical brilliance, precision and creativity have really captivated audiences across the globe.
Bundesliga fans have witnessed Olise’s transformation from a highly-rated talent into a genuine global superstar, and he was deservedly recognised as the Bundesliga’s official Player of the Season for 2025/26.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCE:
Choosing a single standout display from Olise’s extraordinary campaign is no easy task.
He scored twice in Bayern’s opening-day 6-0 victory over RB Leipzig, registered five goal contributions in a 6-2 win over Freiburg, produced two goals and an assist in an 8-1 demolition of Wolfsburg and was directly involved in four goals during a 5-1 triumph over Leipzig at the start of the year.
The list could go on.
It’s really about personal preference at this point and if one performance deserves special mention, however, it is Bayern’s dramatic 3-3 draw against Heidenheim. Trailing 2-1 at half-time, Vincent Kompany subbed in Olise from the bench and the Frenchman completely changed the course of the match. He provided an assist before scoring a stunning equaliser deep into stoppage time, rescuing a point and once again demonstrating his ability to deliver when Bayern needed him most.
This game proved that Olise is not just an extraordinary player in games which Bayern could win without him, it showed, that he is able to step up in difficult situations and be the reason why a team wins.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
As already noted, Harry Kane also enjoyed a remarkable season and received four votes from the Bulinews.com writers. The England captain scored 36 goals, securing the Torjägerkanone for a third consecutive year. Remarkably, Kane has won the Bundesliga’s top-scorer award in every season since arriving in Germany.
New signing Luis Díaz also deserves recognition, despite not receiving any votes. The Colombian enjoyed an outstanding debut campaign in Munich, finishing with 29 goal contributions. Widely viewed as the missing piece in Bayern’s attack upon his arrival, Díaz quickly showed exactly why the club invested in him.
Several other Bayern players thrived under Vincent Kompany during the 2025/26 season. Lennart Karl enjoyed a breakthrough campaign and appeared destined for a place in Germany’s World Cup squad before injury struck. Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlović, Josip Stanišić and Konrad Laimer all produced performances that could arguably rank among the finest seasons of their respective careers.
Yet in a squad overflowing with world-class talent, one player consistently stood above the rest.
Michael Olise was Bayern Munich’s brightest star in 2025/26 – and Bulinews.com’s Player of the Season.
