Richard Olise

Richard Olise
Personal information
Full name Richard Oghenekome Olise
Date of birth (2004-09-09) 9 September 2004 (age 22)
Place of birth London, England
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position Defender
Youth career
2021–2026 Chelsea
International career‡
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 England U18 1 (0)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 12 December 2024

Richard Oghenekome Olise (born 9 September 2004) is an English footballer who plays as a centre-back or right-back. A graduate of Chelsea's youth academy, he last played in the Premiere League 2 during the 2025–26 season. Olise is an English youth international.

Early life

Richard Oghenekome Olise was born on 9 September 2004 in London, England. His father, Vincent Olise, is a British-Nigerian deacon who was an international cricket player for Nigeria. His mother, Mina, is Franco-Algerian. Olise has named his older brother, Michael, as his football idol growing up.

Club career

Olise started his career playing Sunday league football before being scouted at six years old. He then joined the youth academy of Premier League club Chelsea at the under-9 level.

Following his 17th birthday, Olise signed his first professional contract with Chelsea in September 2021 and was promoted to the club's under-18 team. A season prior, he made several appearances for the team including an appearance in the UEFA Youth League against Juventus. Three years later, Olise was promoted to Chelsea's reserve team. Sidelined for long periods of the 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24 seasons, he returned to full fitness and had his first goal for the under-21 squad in the 6–0 victory over Fulham. In December 2024, he was included in the senior match squad, for the first time, in the UEFA Conference League match against Astana.

Coming back from an injury, Olise returned to the under-21 squad in October 2025 and scored a stoppage-time goal against Crystal Palace in a 4–2 victory, which secured the third place spot in the regular season Premier League 2 table. In the same month, he was registered by Chelsea for the Champions League home match against Ajax.

Olise departed Chelsea following the conclusion of 2025–26 season.

International career

Olise was called up for the England national under-18 football team in September 2021. He traveled with the Young Lions for a week of training camp and a match against Wales at Newport County’s Spytty Park which resulted to a 1–1 draw.

Style of play

Olise plays as a defender, specifically as a centre-back or as a right-back. He is a "very calm and composed right-sided defender who has the ability to both defend and attack" and "has all the attributes of a modern-day full-back."

Personal life

Olise is a fan of basketball and American football.

Career statistics

As of match played 23 September 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chelsea U18 2020–21 U18 Premiere League 1 0 — — — — 1 0
2021–22 U18 Premiere League 14 0 — — 1 0 — 15 0
2023–24 U18 Premiere League 1 0 — — — — 1 0
Chelsea U21 2023–24 Premiere League 2 10 0 — — — — 10 0
2024–25 Premiere League 2 12 2—2 0—30172
2025–26 Premiere League 2 4 0———2060
Career total 422—201050502
  1. ↑ Appearance in UEFA Youth League
  2. 1 2 Appearances in EFL Trophy

References

  1. ↑ "2024/25 Premier League squad lists". Premiere League. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  2. ↑ "2025/26 Premier League squad lists". Premier League. 12 September 2025. Archived from the original on 12 October 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  3. ↑ "Richard Olise". FotMob. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Richard Olise". Sofascore. Retrieved 14 October 2026.
  5. ↑ "« Si en finale c'est Michael contre l'Angleterre, ce sera Michael » : aux origines d'Olise à Hayes, dans la banlieue de Londres, berceau d'un surdoué". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Silas, Don (4 September 2024). "'My mother is from France' - Olise on why he snubbed Nigeria, England, Algeria". Daily Post. Lagos, Nigeria. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
  7. ↑ Raffray, Raphaël (4 September 2024). "Michael Olise a toujours rêvé des Bleus". Foot Mercato (in French). Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  8. ↑ Blackwood, Emily (16 July 2026). "All About Michael Olise's Parents, Vincent and Mina Olise". People Magazine.
  9. 1 2 3 "Teenage Kicks: Louis Flower and Richard Olise". Chelsea F. C. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  10. 1 2 Coley, Tom (12 December 2024). "Who is Richard Olise?". Football London. Archived from the original on 10 January 2026. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  11. ↑ "Chelsea have a new king of Cobham – & he's the brother of Europe's best winger". Planet Football. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  12. ↑ "Summer transfers 2026: All the Chelsea ins, outs and new contracts so far". Chelsea F. C. Archived from the original on 29 August 2026. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  13. ↑ "UYL reaction: Myers on experience gained and difference made in key areas". Chelsea F. C. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  14. ↑ "Under-18s report: Chelsea 3 Reading 0". Chelsea F. C. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  15. ↑ "Chelsea Academy stars sign their first professional contracts". Chelsea F. C. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  16. ↑ Smith, George (7 July 2021). "Wonderkid issues six-word message after signing new Chelsea contract". Football London. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  17. ↑ "Olise agrees new Chelsea deal". Chelsea F. C. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  18. ↑ "Get to know the 11 young Blues who could face Astana". Chelsea F. C. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  19. ↑ "Fulham U21 0-6 Chelsea U21". Fulham F.C. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  20. ↑ "Astana vs Chelsea". UEFA. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  21. ↑ "Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca to make wholesale changes for trip to Astana". The Independent. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  22. ↑ "Premier League 2 report: Crystal Palace 2-4 Chelsea". Chelsea F. C. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  23. ↑ "Crystal Palace U21 v Chelsea U21". Chelsea F. C.
  24. ↑ "Report & Highlights: Palace through to PL2 play-offs despite Chelsea defeat". Crystal Palace F.C. 14 April 2025. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  25. ↑ Kinsella, Nizaar (22 October 2025). "Chelsea news: Thiago Silva's son among 33 players added to Champions League squad". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 1 December 2025. Retrieved 12 October 2026.
  26. ↑ "Player Contracts: Four players to depart". Chelsea F.C. 10 June 2026. Archived from the original on 10 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  27. ↑ Frank, Smith (27 August 2021). "England MU18s squad named for game with Wales in Newport". England Football. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  28. ↑ Veevers, Nicholas (3 September 2021). "England MU18s were held to a 1-1 draw by Wales in Newport". England Football. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  29. ↑ "Chelsea Welcomes New Talent: Richard Olise, Brother of Europe's Finest Winger". Archived from the original on 15 December 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  30. ↑ "Richard Olise". Chelsea F. C. Archived from the original on 12 June 2026. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  31. ↑ "Meet the 2021/22 Academy scholars". Chelsea F. C. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2026.
  32. ↑ Richard Olise at Soccerway