Michael Olise

Early life

Michael Akpovie Olise was born on 12 December 2001 in White City, London, England, and raised in the suburb of Hayes. His father, Vincent Olise, is a British-Nigerian deacon who was an international cricket player for Nigeria. His mother, Mina, is Franco-Algerian. Together with his younger brother Richard, Olise was raised in a tight-knit and multicultural family. He characterises himself as coming "from four countries: France, Algeria, Nigeria, and England" all of which he regularly spent time in during childhood. He spoke both English and French at home. On his upbringing, Olise has stated:

"I have many different connections with Nigeria, Algeria, France, and England. It's not something I think about every day; it's perfectly normal for me. I carry little things from each country within me. It has broadened my horizons because these cultures are quite different from one another. At home, I had three cultures thanks to my parents. And outside, it was England, where I grew up. I didn't have to force this mix; it was just there."

Olise attended Dr Triplett’s Primary School, Douay Martyrs Catholic Secondary School, and St Bede's College. Good at maths and sciences and shy and quiet, he excelled in various sports including basketball, cricket, and table tennis. He was a cross-country running champion for the London borough of Hillingdon for two consecutive years, a district sports gold medallist in the 400 metres, and participated in the London Youth Games. As a youth, Olise idolised Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Zinedine Zidane and dreamt of joining France’s national football team.