PARIS (AP) — Translate Désiré Doué’s name into English and you get the words “coveted” and “gifted.”
Both seem highly appropriate, considering how the 19-year-old’s stunning performance for Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Champions League final launched him into soccer’s stratosphere, making Doué a player every team would love to have.
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Doué scored with two clinical finishes in a 5-0 rout of Inter Milan after setting up PSG’s first goal with a remarkable piece of close control. Controlling the ball on his left foot and spinning in one swift movement inside the penalty area, he then effortlessly switched feet and passed with his right to Achraf Hakimi.
“I really don’t have the words to describe how I feel. What we did is magical. We showed we are a great side collectively,” said Doué, who turns 20 on Tuesday. “There are a lot of young players in the side who still need to improve, I am among them.”
Doué improving is quite a scary thought, given how good he already is.
A game-changing ability
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When Doué joined PSG from Rennes for around 50 million euros ($55 million) in the offseason, it appeared a hefty fee for an unproven young player.
Except for the fans who closely followed Ligue 1, he was largely unknown in France and beyond. Furthermore, his return of eight goals in 76 games hardly suggested he would become a dangerous scorer.
But Rennes is one of the best youth academies in European soccer. Doué’s PSG teammate Ousmane Dembélé came through the ranks there as did Mathys Tel before joining Bayern Munich.
PSG coach Luis Enrique, who coached Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar when Barcelona won the Champions League in 2015, saw a game-changing ability in Doué.
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He was proved right.
Doué’s emergence in the second part of the season saw him take goal-scoring winger Bradley Barcola’s place in the starting lineup. It also coincided with PSG’s revival in the Champions League after a difficult group stage where the club lost to Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Bayern.
Doué held his nerve in the penalty shootout win against Liverpool in March, scoring the decisive kick in emphatic style to send PSG into the quarterfinals. Later that month, he also scored for France in a penalty shootout win in the Nations League.
Doué kept improving in the big games
Doué equalized in the quarterfinal first leg against Aston Villa in Paris and scored five goals in the competition.
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Overall he scored 15 goals for PSG this season, including spectacular curlers from outside the penalty area with his right foot.
His silky close control, allied to an ability to wrong-foot defenders, made him a vital part of PSG’s intricate approach play, particularly in confined spaces. His unorthodox dribbling is often brilliant, but does not always come off, so he reigned it in.
“I sometimes overdo it a bit, but I try to keep my personality. When you play, you know there are areas where you have to build, release the ball, and others where you have more freedom,” Doué said. “I analyze my matches and my training sessions a lot. I try to always maintain my discipline, and I hope that will take me to the very, very high level.”
Doué said that back in April.
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On Saturday night he achieved it, and joined Barcelona’s 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal among the most coveted young players in world soccer.
They could face each other on Thursday, when France plays Spain in the Nations League semifinals.
Both have the soccer world at their feet. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
