Austria’s head coach, Ralf Rangnick, has expressed relief that Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise was not called up by France for Euro 2024.
Preparing his team to face France on Monday, Rangnick shared his thoughts with L’Équipe, stating he is happy about Olise’s omission.
There were high expectations that Olise, a standout performer for Crystal Palace last season, would make Didier Deschamps‘ shortlist, but he was omitted.
The Chelsea target made 19 appearances, scoring 10 goals, and six assists in the Premier League, to earn a spot in the French squad.
However, the 22-year-old, also eligible to play for England, was left out, much to Rangnick’s satisfaction.
When asked about his thoughts on the French squad, Rangnick said, “He has never been called up by France, but I love Michael Olise.
“If only he had Austrian origins! He is an exceptional player: quick, a strong dribbler, technically gifted, and he works hard when he loses the ball.
“Whenever I saw him play, he had a smile on his face. I am not unhappy that Deschamps didn’t call him up,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deschamps is known for his reluctance to select uncapped players for major tournaments, but surprisingly made an exception this year by including Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola.
Despite initially favouring Aston Villa’s Moussa Diaby in March, Deschamps opted for the uncapped Barcola following his impressive late-season performance.